Abdomen
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The abdominal cavity (abdominal cavity) is the largest cavity of the human body, it is located between the chest cavity at the top and the cavity of the small pelvis below. Abdominal cavity at the top is limited by the diaphragm, at the back - by the lumbar spinal column, by the square muscles of the waist, by the ilio-lumbar muscles, at the front and by the abdominal muscles. Below the abdominal cavity continues into the cavity of the small pelvis, which is bounded below by the diaphragm of the pelvis.
In the abdominal cavity are located the stomach, small intestine and thick (except for the rectum), liver, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, adrenals, ureters, and in the pelvic cavity - rectum, organs of the urinary system and internal genital organs. In addition, on the back wall of the abdominal cavity, in front of the bodies of the lumbar vertebrae, pass the abdominal part of the aorta, the lower hollow vein and lie the nerve plexuses, lymphatic vessels and nodes.
The internal surface of the abdominal cavity is lined with the intra-abdominal fascia (fascia endoabdominalis), or the retroperitoneal fascia (fascia subperitonealis, s.extraperitonealis), whose sections are named according to the name of the muscles it covers. To the internal surface of this fascia is the parietal peritoneum.
The abdominal cavity as a whole can be seen only by removing the peritoneum and internal organs. Between the peritoneum and the intraperitoneal fascia is located fatty tissue. Especially a lot of it on the back of the abdominal cavity, near the internal organs located there. The space between the fascia and peritoneum on the posterior abdominal wall was called the retroperitoneal space (spatium retroperitonealis). It is filled with fatty tissue and organs.
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