Peritoneum: Introduction

00:01 In this lecture we are going to move onto the peritoneum and the peritoneal sac.

00:08 So the peritoneum and the peritoneal sac or the peritoneal cavity is really important serous membrane that lines the inside of the abdominal cavity and encloses the abdominal viscera.

00:23 It allows the organs within the abdomen to move freely and smoothly.

00:28 And it's also important in suspending and supporting these organs.

00:34 So we are going to look at the various parts of the peritoneum and how it's divided into visceral and parietal part.

00:41 We will look at retroperitoneal and intraperitoneal organs.

00:46 And then we will move on and look at mesenteries, peritoneal ligaments and the omenta.

00:51 Before finishing with the sub divisions of the peritoneal cavity like the greater sac and the lesser sac. And how we can look infra and supra colic compartments.

01:04 So previously in the lectures that preceded this, we have spoken about the organs really in isolation and we put them into context with the relationship they have with other organs of the abdomen.

01:18 But this peritoneum is the membrane that binds them all together that attaches them to one-another or attaches them to the body wall.

01:28 If this peritoneum didn't happen, it didn't occur, it didn't exist then what's to stop the stomach from falling down into the pelvis? The fact that the stomach is suspended via the lesser omentum we will come to know from the liver and it holds to the spleen. And obviously it's anchored to the oesophagus and the diaphragm.

01:51 It gives all of these organs their position within the abdominal cavity and that's what we are going to look at today.