THE PERITONEUM 



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or less inseparably blended. The left border of the greater omentum is continuous 

 with the gastrosplenic omentum; its right border extends only as far as the duodenum. 

 The greater omentum is usually thin, presents a cribriform appearance, and always 

 contains some adipose tissue, which in fat persons accumulates in considerable 

 quantity. Between its two anterior layers is the anastomosis between the right 

 and left gastroepiploic arteries. In opening the abdomen the greater omentum 

 is rarely found spread out evenly over the intestines. It often projects between 

 intestinal coils, or is largely gathered in some one region, or is pushed in front of the 

 stomach bv distention of the colon. 



Mesentery 



(left leaf) 



Root of mesen-'i 

 tery 



Ileum 



Sigmoid flexure 

 Cecum-% 



Duodenum. 



Siymu id flexure 

 FIG. 987. Mesentery. Small intestine pushed upward to the right (Tillaux.) 



The gastrosplenic omentum is the fold which connects the margins of the hilum 

 of the spleen to the stomach, being continuous by its lower border with the greater 

 omentum. It contains the vasa brevia. 



The mesenteries are the mesentery proper, the transverse mesocolon, the sigmoid 

 mesocolon, and the mesentery of the vermiform appendix. In addition to these 

 there are sometimes present an ascending and a descending mesocolon. 



The mesentery (mesenterium) (Figs. 987 and' 988), is the broad, fan-shaped 

 fold of peritoneum which connects the convolutions of the jejunum and ileum with 



