THE ABDOMEN lo\ 



posteriorly it is separated from the renal surface by the ridge 

 which extends from the internal basal angle upwards to the apex. 

 A little in front of this ridge, and therefore situated on the gastric 

 surface, there is a fissure, called the hilum, for the passage of the 

 splenic vessels, lymphatics, and nerves. Instead of a hilum there 

 is sometimes a row of foramina. The narrow portion of the gastric 

 surface behind the hilum is, at its lower end, in contact with the 

 tail of the pancreas. 



The renal surface, which is posterior to the gastric surface, is 

 narrow. It is directed inwards and downwards, and is in contact 

 with the front of the left kidney at its upper and outer part, close 

 to the external border. It is separated from the gastric surface by 

 the ridge already referred to, and is limited behind by the posterior 

 border, which separates it from the phrenic surface. Interiorly it is 

 separated from the basal surface by the ridge which extends from 

 the internal basal angle to the posterior angle. 



The basal surface is the small triangular surface which looks, 

 downwards and inwards. It rests upon the splenic flexure of the 

 colon and upper surface of the sustentaculum lienis or peritoneal 

 platform formed by the costo-colic ligament. It is separated 

 from the renal surface by the ridge already referred to, and 

 from the gastric surface by the ridge which passes between the 

 internal and anterior basal angles. The angles of this surface are 

 called internal, posterior, and anterior, the last being the most 

 prominent. 



Borders. — These are anterior, posterior, and inferior. The 

 anterior border is situated between the phrenic and gastric surfaces. 

 It is sharp, and usually presents several notches. The posterior 

 border is situated between the phrenic and renal surfaces. It is 

 blunt, and its position and direction practically coincide with the 

 lowest left intercostal space. The inferior border separates the 

 phrenic and basal surfaces, and is somewhat sharp. 



Peritoneal Relations. — ^The spleen is surrounded by peritoneum, 

 except at the hilvun, and where the gastro-splenic omentum and 

 phreno-splenic ligament are connected with it. The serous mem- 

 brane forms three folds, called gastro-splenic omentum, lieno-renal 

 ligament, and phreno-splenic ligament. The gastro-splenic omen- 

 tum is attached by one extremity to the gastric surface of the spleen 

 just in front of the hilum, the other extremity being connected with 

 the cardiac end of the stomach on its posterior aspect and the left 

 border of the great omentum. The lieno-renal ligament is attached 

 by one extremity to the gastric surface along the line of the hilum, the 

 other extremity being attached to the front of the left kidney at 

 its upper and outer part. The phreno-splenic or lieno-phrenic 

 ligament extends between the spleen near its upper extremity and 

 the contiguous part of the diaphragm. 



Occasionally small accessory spleens, var>nng in number from one to 

 twenty, are found in the gastro-splenic omentum in the neighbourhood of the 

 hilum, or more rarely in the great omentum. 



