Abdomen

• The abdomen is bordered superiorly by the costal margins, inferiorly by the symphysis pubis and inguinal canal, laterally by the flanks
• The abdomen can be described as having four quadrants - right upper quadrant, right lower quadrant, left lower quadrant, left upper quadrant
• What is the layers of the abdominal wall? - the outer most layer - external abdominal oblique, middle layer -internal abdominal oblique, and the innermost layer - transverse abdominis
• Vertical muscle of the anterior abdominal wall called the rectus abdominis
• Abdominal wall muscles protect the internal organs and allow normal compression during functional activities such as coughing, sneezing, urination, defecation, and childbirth
• the joining of the muscle fibers and aponeurosis at the midline of the abdomen forms a white line called linea alba
• Linea alba extends vertically from the xiphoid process of the sternum to the symphysis pubis
• A thin, shiny serous membrane called peritoneum lines the abdominal cavity (parietal peritoneum) and also provides protective covering for most of the internal abdominal organs (visceral peritoneum)
• Abdominal viscera -within the abdominal cavity are structures of several different body systems: gastrointestinal, reproductive (female, lymphatic, and urinary.
• Solid viscera - are those organs that maintain their shape consistently
• Hollow viscera - consists of structures that change shape depending on their contents
• Liver - Helps with metabolism, produces bile, produces clotting factors, detoxifies drugs and alcohol, converts glucose to glycogen, stores vitamins A, B, E, K
• Liver - located below the diaphragm in the RUQ of the abdomen, composed of the four lobes that fills most of the RUQ and extend to MCL
• Pancreas - produces insulin, glucagon, helps produce enzymes to help with digestion, endocrine gland
• Pancreas - located mostly behind the stomach deep in the upper abdomen, a long gland extending across the abdomen from the RUQ to the LUQ
• Spleen - approximately 7 cm wide and is located above the left kidney just below the diaphragm at the level of the ninth, tenth, and eleventh ribs
• Spleen - posterior to the left midaxillary line (MAL) and posterior and lateral to stomach
• Spleen - Produces RBCs, activates B and T cell lymphocytes, stores RBCs and platelets, (helps with immunity), digests microorganism, and return breakdown product to liver
• Kidneys - located high and deep under the diaphragm with approximately 10 x 5 x 2.5 cm are considered posterior organs and approximate with the level of T12 to L3 verterbrae
• Kidneys -filtration and elimination of the metabolic waste product. Plays role in blood pressure control and maintenance of water, salt, and electrolyte balance, and secretes hormones. Makes erythropoietin.
• Stomach - it is a distensible, flask-like organ located in the LUQ just below the diaphragm between the liver and the spleen
• Stomach - store, churn, digest food.
• Gallbladder - muscular sac approximately 10 cm long, functions primarily to concentrate and store the bile needed to digest fat.
• Gallbladder - located near the posterior surface of the liver lateral to the MCL
• Small intestine - longest portion of the digestive tract (approximately 7.0 m long) but it is named for it is small diameter (2.5 cm long)
• Small intestine - digestion and absorption of nutrients through millions of mucosal projections lining its walls
• Colon - has a wide diameter (6.0 cm) approximately 1.4 m long) originates in the right lower quadrant, where it attaches to the small intestine ileocecal valve.
• The colon is composed of three major sections - (1) ascending colon, (2) transverse colon, and (3) descending colon
• Ascending colon - extends at the right side of the abdomen. At the junction of the liver in the right upper quadrant. it flexes a right angle and becomes the transverse colon.
• Transverse colon - runs across the upper abdomen
• Descending colon - curves in toward the midline to form the sigmoid colon in the left lower quadrant
• Colon - functions primarily to secrete large amounts of alkaline mucus to lubricate the intestine and neutralize acids formed by intestinal bacteria