Anatomy of the Digestive System

Anatomy of the Digestive System

Appendix:

• Has a peritoneal fold.

• Supplied by a branch of the superior mesenteric artery: superior right colic artery, right colic angle artery, ileocolic artery.

Visceral Peritoneum:

• Adheres tightly to the organs.

Splenic Puncture:

• The 9th intercostal space is the best place to perform a splenic puncture.

Gastric Artery:

• The right gastric artery gives direct branches at the lesser curvature of the stomach.

• The gastroduodenal artery gives direct branches at the greater curvature of the stomach.

Spleen:

• Related to the kidney on the visceral surface.

• The 9th, 10th, and 11th ribs are related to the diameter of the spleen.

• The length or shortness of the splenic pedicle is related to the tail of the pancreas.

Liver:

• Connected to the stomach by the lesser omentum, which is tight.

• The diaphragm is related to the upper surface of the liver.

• The stomach is related to the posterior surface of the liver.

• The inferior vena cava and the right kidney are related to the inferior surface of the liver.

Pancreas:

• Related to the posterior surface of the stomach.

• The aorta is related to the posterior surface of the neck of the pancreas.

• The pancreas develops from two primitive dorsal and ventral parts.

Duodenum:

• The 2nd part is completely attached to the head of the pancreas.

• The common bile duct, gastroduodenal artery, and portal vein are related to the posterior part of the duodenum.

• The junction between the duodenum and stomach is the mobile part of the duodenum.

Duodenal Bulb:

• The duodenal papilla is located on the border of the 2nd part of the duodenum.

Colon:

• The jejunal loops are related to the anterior surface of the sigmoid colon.

• The celiac trunk is related to the ascending colon.

Lesser Omentum:

• The hepatogastric ligament and the hepatoduodenal ligament are components of the lesser omentum.

Cecum:

• The iliopsoas muscle is related to the posterior aspect of the cecal mass.

Small Intestine:

• Controlled by the superior mesenteric plexus.

• Receives blood from the superior mesenteric artery.

• Contains pancreatic juice, bile, and gastric juice.

Meckel’s Diverticulum:

• Can connect to the umbilicus.

Gallbladder:

• Inverted pear-shaped.

Anal Valve:

• Are semicircular folds of mucosa that connect the base of the two anal columns.

Esophagus:

• Lies behind the trachea.

• Has 4 constrictions on X-ray images.

• Muscle layer: longitudinal muscle.

• Connects the pharynx to the stomach.

Stomach:

• Has an angular notch at the lesser curvature.

• The pylorus connects to the duodenum.

• The pylorus is usually where gastric juice accumulates.

Cecum:

• Sac-like, located below the ileocecal orifice.

Ileum:

• The longest part of the intestine.

• Has a very thick wall.

• All the loops of the small intestine lie below the transverse colon.

Appendix:

• About 8 cm long.

• Most commonly, the tip of the appendix lies next to the cecum.

• Separates from the ileocecal valve about 3 cm.

Liver:

• The inferior vena cava is located in the bare area of the liver.

Heart:

• Anatomically, the heart is divided into 3 sections: neck, thorax, abdomen.

Portal Venous System:

• The splenic vein, superior mesenteric vein, and inferior mesenteric vein drain into the portal venous system.

• The middle hepatic vein does not drain into the portal venous system.

Stomach:

• Composed of 3 muscle layers: circular, oblique, longitudinal.

• The gastric vascular ring involves: left gastric artery, gastroduodenal artery, right gastroepiploic artery.

Esophagus:

• The anterior surface of the abdominal portion of the esophagus is adjacent to the liver.

Left Lobe of the Liver:

• Related to the left pharynx, stomach, and esophagus.

• Does not touch the ileum.

Duodenum:

• The widest, shortest, and least covered by peritoneum.

Left Gastroepiploic Artery:

• Arises from the splenic artery.

Organs Outside the Peritoneum:

• Kidney.

Fallopian Tube:

• Usually ligated for sterilization in the ampulla.

Greater Curvature Vascular Ring:

• Left gastroepiploic artery and right gastroepiploic artery.

Round Ligament of the Liver:

• A remnant of the umbilical vein.

Liver:

• The right and left hepatic ducts are anteriormost at the porta hepatis.

• The proper hepatic artery is anterior and left, the portal vein is posterior, and the common bile duct is anterior and right in the hepatic pedicle.

Accessory Bile Duct System:

• Includes the gallbladder and cystic duct.

Gastroduodenal Artery:

• Arises from the common hepatic artery.

Lesser Curvature Vascular Ring:

• Left gastric artery and right gastric artery.

Liver:

• Divided into 4 lobes: left lobe, right lobe, quadrate lobe, caudate lobe.

• The imprint of the colon is the most anterior visceral surface of the liver.

• The liver has an inferior border.

Lesser Omentum:

• Runs from the liver to the lesser curvature of the stomach.

Liver:

• Has a diaphragmatic surface and a visceral surface.

Digestive System:

• Following the direction of food movement, the digestive system consists of: esophagus, stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum.

Liver:

• Means of keeping the liver in place include: inferior vena cava, round ligament, falciform ligament.

Rectal Venous Ring:

• Due to the connection between the superior mesenteric vein and the middle and inferior mesenteric veins.

Inferior Mesenteric Artery:

• Supplies blood to the rectum.

Liver:

• The gallbladder groove is anterior, the inferior vena cava groove is posterior, forming the right longitudinal groove on the visceral surface of the liver.

Liver:

• Located above the transverse mesocolon, in the right subphrenic space, and extending into the left subphrenic space.

Stomach:

• Site of gastric juice secretion.

• A dilation of the digestive tract.

• The connecting segment between the esophagus and the duodenal bulb.

Stomach:

• Not simply a food storage pouch.

Peritoneum:

• Does not cover all organs in the abdominal cavity.

Peritoneum:

• Consists of parietal and visceral layers.

• Thin, smooth, shiny membrane.

• Essentially, a fold of peritoneum.

Common Hepatic Artery:

• Branches off the celiac trunk.

Duodenojejunal Flexure:

• Held in place by the Treitz ligament or Treitz muscle.

Note: Some information on the anatomy of the digestive system may be incomplete or inaccurate.