Abdomen

The abdomen contains the organs of digestion, including the GI tract itself, the accessory glands (e.g., liver and pancreas), the adrenal glands, the kidneys and ureters, and the lymphoid organs in the form of the spleen and lymph nodes. Notable for the intricacy of its architecture, the abdomen serves as the site where the absorption of nutrients and processing of waste occurs.

In this course, the student will be introduced to the surface anatomy of the abdomen, the muscles of the abdominal wall, the inguinal region and the inguinal canal, the segments of the GI tract, the liver and biliary tree, the pancreas and spleen, the portal circulation, and the adrenal glands and kidneys.

For optimal comprehension, the student is encouraged to correlate the lessons of this course with their counterparts in histology, physiology, and embryology.

GI symptoms and abdominal pain are among the most commonly seen in clinical practice. The number of conditions that can affect the abdominal organs are endless. From common bloating to malignancy, all are expressed through abdominal pain, and it’s the job of a clinician to distinguish the different types of pain through a good interrogation and perform an adequate physical examination to determine the causes of a patient’s complaints.

For a competent physician and nurse, a good physical examination and clinical diagnosis depend on a good grasp of the anatomy and physiology of the abdominal organs. In the same vein, any intervention of the abdominal cavity, from a simple paracentesis to a midline laparotomy, demands a good knowledge of the surgical anatomy of the cavity to ensure that only the necessary structures are manipulated.