Tutorial on the Abdomen

1.  Can you palpate the linea alba?    

 Hint Is it hard?

2.  An immobile tumor can be palpated in the left lumbar region,
a few inches below the transyploric line.  Would you guess
that the tumor is located in the transverse colon     

 Hint Is the transverse colon related to the pylorus?

3.  The region of the umbilicus is supplied from T12.     


4.  Both, indirect and direct hernias pass through the superficial inguinal ring.     

 Hint Which enters the inquinal canal?

5.  A direct hernia lies lateral to the inferior epigastric vessels.     

 Hint Where is the border of the inquinal (Hesselbach's) triangle?

6.  No muscles originate from the inguinal ligament.     

 Hint What forms the inquinal ligament?

7.  There is no ligamentous connection between the anterior
abdominal wall and any abdominal organ.     

 Hint Think of the liver.

8.  The greater omentum always covers the abdominal contents.     

 Hint What about the liver?

9.  Jejunum and ileum cannot be distinguished.     

 Hint At both the histological and gross level.

10. The omental bursa is an abstraction.     

 Hint Is the lesser sac abstract?

11. An opening made in the transverse mesocolon gives access to
the lesser peritoneal sac.     

 Hint See Moore p. 158.

12.  Superior and inferior mesenteric arteries are end arteries,
i.e., no anastomoses occur between the areas of distribution
of these two arteries.     

 Hint Think again if you said no.

13.  In what regard is the portal system different from the
systemic venous system?     

 Hint What is the definition of a portal system?

14. The proper hepatic artery is accompanied by the hepatic vein.     

 Hint Where does the vein drain?

15. Hepatic and portal veins are synomyms.     

 Hint Where does each drain?

16. Why are some parts of the gut immobile?     

 Hint Which parts are retroperitoneal?

17. Where are most of the branches of the superior mesenteric artery?     

 Hint Which mesentery?

18. A circular pancreas surrounds the splenic artery.  It is
caused by the premature fusion of the dorsal and ventral pancreatic buds.     

 Hint Is it the splenic?

19. The sepum transversum separates from its beginning the
thoracic and abdominal cavities.     

 Hint It eventually becomes the central tendon.

20. Meckel's diverticulum extends from the cecum and is caused
by the partial persistence of the yolk stalk.     

 Hint Cecum or ileum?

21. Omphalocoele is a synonym for congenital hernia into the umbilical cord.     

 Hint Is it the same as an umbilical hernia?

22. The duodenum receives its blood supply only from banches of
the celiac artery.     

 Hint Is this the only source?

23. The appendix being a part of the small intestine receives
its blood supply from the same source as the other parts of
the small intestine.     

 Hint Where is the appendix located?

24. At which surface marking would you palpate the gall bladder?     

 Hint Where is the inferior border of the liver?

25. The upper pole of the kidney is normally 3 inches below the 12th rib.     

 Hint See Moore p. 213.

26. Anastomoses between the systemic venous circulation and the
portal circulation become enlarged in portal hypertension.
One of such anastomoses is between esophageal veins and the
left gastric vein.  Do you know other anastomoses?    

 Hint Think of the rectum.

27. The left renal vein courses in front of the abdominal aorta.     

 Hint How is it related to the superior mesenteric artery?

28. The preaortic ganglia are well separated from each other,
and each of these ganglion is clearly defined.    

 Hint The drawings are sometimes artificial.

29. Generally, the lymphatics in the abdominal cavity follow the
course of the arteries.     

 Hint Arteries or veins?

30. The root of the mesentery courses obliquely from the head of
the pancreas to the area of the left sacroiliac joint.     

 Hint Left or right?

31. The portal system collects venous blood from the entire
intestinal tract, i.e., from the beginning of the esophagus
to the end of the anal canal.     

 Hint See number 26.

32. Branches of the lumbar plexus can be found on the lateral
and medial sides of the psoas major.     

 Hint Are there branches on the anterior surface?

33. What opens into the ampulla of Vater     

 Hint Think about the liver and pancreas

34. Which venous channels can help in establishing a collateral 
circulation around an obstruction of the inferior vena cava below the 
renal veins?     

 Hint Think about gonadal, epigastric, mesenteric, iliac.

35. Small and large intestine can best be distinguished by their
respective sizes.     

 Hint What about location, haustra, etc.

36. What is the function of the ileocecal valve?     

 Hint Would it be advantages for material to enter the cecum?

37. The urinary bladder receives its postganglionic
parasympathetic fibers through the pelvic splanchnic nerves.     

 Hint Are pelvic splanchnics postganglionic?

38. The prevertebral (preaortic) ganglia are parasympathetic ganglia.     

 Hint Parasympathetic or sympathetic.

39. The renal pyramids open directly into the minor calices.     

 Hint See Moore p. 215.

40. The arterial blood supply of the suprarenal gland is by one large artery.     

 Hint There are three.