Peritoneum      Structures       Development       Disease states      Classification of abdominal structures

Classification of abdominal structures

The structures in the abdomen are classified as intraperitoneal, retroperitoneal or infraperitoneal depending on whether they are covered with visceral peritoneum and have a mesentery or not. Some structures, such as the kidneys, are "secondarily retroperitoneal", meaning that structure developed intraperitoneally but lost its mesentery and thus became retroperitoneal.

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Intraperitoneal

• Stomach
• First part of the duodenum [5 cms].
• Pancreas(head and body)
• Jejunum
• Ileum
• Appendix
• Cecum
• Transverse colon
• Sigmoid colon
• Rectum, upper 1/3
• Liver
• Spleen
• In women:
• Uterus
• Fallopian tubes
• Ovaries

Retroperitoneal

• The rest of the duodenum
• Rectum, middle 1/3
• Kidneys
• Pancreas(tail)
• Suprarenal glands (adrenal glands)
• Ureters, renal vessels and gonadal blood vessels
• Ascending colon
• Descending colon

Infraperitoneal

• Rectum, lower 1/3
• Urinary bladder

The epiploic foramen, greater sac or general cavity (red) and lesser sac, or omental bursa (blue).

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Horizontal disposition of the peritoneum in the upper part of the abdomen. (Areas outlined in blue and red correspond to above diagram.)

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