THE PERITONEUM. 



963 





white line, its apex being above and its base below. It rises from the crests of 

 the pubic bones and arches over the upper edge of the symphjsis pubis. This 

 should not be mistaken for the urachus which lies behind it, separated by the 

 tran sversalis fascia ; both are outside the peritoneum. 



Xow open the peritoneal cavity. Do not make a median incision from the 

 ensiform cartilage to the symphysis pubis. Start at the umbilicus and make two 

 oblique cuts from it, one to each Poupart's ligament near the anterior superior 

 spine of the ilium ; make one more from the umbilicus to the ensiform cartilage. 

 Make a transverse cut on either side when more room is desired. To the riorht 

 of the upper incision will be seen a round cord passing from the umbilicus to the 

 under surface of the liver and enclosed in a double layer of serous tissue. The 

 latter is peritoneum, called the broad, suspensory, or falciform ligament of the 

 liver ; the cord is the round ligament of the liver, or a part of the obliterated 

 wnbiUcal vein, which in the foetal state carried arterial blood from the placenta 

 to the liver first and thence over the body. 



Turn down the lower triangular flap and the view presented is shown in Fig. 

 j s l. Three distinct bands or cords are seen passing from below upward toward 



Plica hypoffcutrica 



P.ica uractd 



P>ica epigae- 

 trica' 



Middle 

 inffuinalfosaa 



Internal inguinal 

 fossa 



Superior vesi- 

 cal artery 





in US 10Wer half The Peritoneum is in place, and 



the umbilicus. They are all foetal structures. The middle one is the urachus, 

 the remnant of the stalk of the allantois ; it may remain pervious. The two 

 lateral ones are the obliterated Jiupogastric arteries which conveyed venous blood 



