Gross Anatomy - Posterior Abdominal Wall Exam With
complete solution–Expert Verified | Latest Questions 2025
What creates the peritoneal cavity? - Lateral folds enclosing the intraembryonic coelom
What gives rise to the epithelium of the primordial gut? - Endoderm of umbilical vesicle
How does the the gut become anchored to the body wall? - Mesoderm in lateral folds
surround gut
Anchors to body wall as mesenteries
What is the mesentery? - Double layer of peritoneum (serous membrane in abdominal
cavity with visceral and parietal layers)
Connects organ to body wall
Conveys neurovasculature
What does the mesentery persist as? - Ligaments
Folds
Omentums
Mesentery
Recesses/fossae
What are lateral umbilical folds - Parietal peritoneum covering inferior epigastric vessels
What are medial umbilical folds - There are 2
Parietal peritoneum covering umbilical aa.
What is the median umbilical fold? - Parietal peritoneum covering median umbilical
ligament (former urachus)
What is the falciform ligament? - Double layer of peritoneum
Attaches liver to anterior abdominal wall
Acts as anchor
What is the round ligament of the liver (AKA hepatis teres ligamentum)? - At inferior
border of falciform ligament
Not a peritoneal formation - it is remnant of umbilical vein
In relation to the peritoneum, what is the greater omentum? - 4 layers of peritoneum
In relation to the peritoneum, what is the lesser omentum? - Double layer of peritoneum
between stomach, esophagus, duodenum, and liver
What are the divisions of the lesser omentum? - Hepatoduodenal lig.
Hepatogastric lig.
, What does the hepatoduodenal lig. have passing through it? - Portal triad: bile duct,
proper hepatic a., hepatic portal v.
What do the greater and lesser omentums create? - Separate but continuous
compartments within the peritoneal cavity:
-Omental bursal (AKA lesser sac)
-Greater sac
Sacs are continuous at omental (epiploic) foramen
Where are the omental bursa and the greater sac continuous? - Omental foramen
Posterior to portal triad
What creates the lesser sac (omental bursa)? - Rotation of stomach and expansion of
greater curvature
What are mesentery (proper)/small intestine mesentery? - Double layer of peritoneum
Attached to small intestine
Embedded with fat and superior mesenteric vessels
What are the extraperitoneal organs within the abdominopelvic cavity? - Kidneys
Ureters
Uterus
Gonads
Aorta
Inferior vena cava
2-4 parts of duodenum
Head, neck and body of pancreas
Ascending colon
Descending colon
What does retroperitoneal mean? - Behind the peritoneum, synonymous with
extraperitoneal posteriorly
What is the function of the kidneys? - Waste regulation
Where are the adrenal glands located? - Superior pole of kidney
What is the function of the adrenal glands? - Hormone and catecholamine production
Where are the kidneys? - R kidney sits inferior to L kidney
L kidney inferior to spleen
Both kidneys lay anterior to 12th ribs
What is pararenal fat? - Fat on the kidneys that is more superficial, but deep to
transversalis fascia
complete solution–Expert Verified | Latest Questions 2025
What creates the peritoneal cavity? - Lateral folds enclosing the intraembryonic coelom
What gives rise to the epithelium of the primordial gut? - Endoderm of umbilical vesicle
How does the the gut become anchored to the body wall? - Mesoderm in lateral folds
surround gut
Anchors to body wall as mesenteries
What is the mesentery? - Double layer of peritoneum (serous membrane in abdominal
cavity with visceral and parietal layers)
Connects organ to body wall
Conveys neurovasculature
What does the mesentery persist as? - Ligaments
Folds
Omentums
Mesentery
Recesses/fossae
What are lateral umbilical folds - Parietal peritoneum covering inferior epigastric vessels
What are medial umbilical folds - There are 2
Parietal peritoneum covering umbilical aa.
What is the median umbilical fold? - Parietal peritoneum covering median umbilical
ligament (former urachus)
What is the falciform ligament? - Double layer of peritoneum
Attaches liver to anterior abdominal wall
Acts as anchor
What is the round ligament of the liver (AKA hepatis teres ligamentum)? - At inferior
border of falciform ligament
Not a peritoneal formation - it is remnant of umbilical vein
In relation to the peritoneum, what is the greater omentum? - 4 layers of peritoneum
In relation to the peritoneum, what is the lesser omentum? - Double layer of peritoneum
between stomach, esophagus, duodenum, and liver
What are the divisions of the lesser omentum? - Hepatoduodenal lig.
Hepatogastric lig.
, What does the hepatoduodenal lig. have passing through it? - Portal triad: bile duct,
proper hepatic a., hepatic portal v.
What do the greater and lesser omentums create? - Separate but continuous
compartments within the peritoneal cavity:
-Omental bursal (AKA lesser sac)
-Greater sac
Sacs are continuous at omental (epiploic) foramen
Where are the omental bursa and the greater sac continuous? - Omental foramen
Posterior to portal triad
What creates the lesser sac (omental bursa)? - Rotation of stomach and expansion of
greater curvature
What are mesentery (proper)/small intestine mesentery? - Double layer of peritoneum
Attached to small intestine
Embedded with fat and superior mesenteric vessels
What are the extraperitoneal organs within the abdominopelvic cavity? - Kidneys
Ureters
Uterus
Gonads
Aorta
Inferior vena cava
2-4 parts of duodenum
Head, neck and body of pancreas
Ascending colon
Descending colon
What does retroperitoneal mean? - Behind the peritoneum, synonymous with
extraperitoneal posteriorly
What is the function of the kidneys? - Waste regulation
Where are the adrenal glands located? - Superior pole of kidney
What is the function of the adrenal glands? - Hormone and catecholamine production
Where are the kidneys? - R kidney sits inferior to L kidney
L kidney inferior to spleen
Both kidneys lay anterior to 12th ribs
What is pararenal fat? - Fat on the kidneys that is more superficial, but deep to
transversalis fascia
