1450 



THE DUCTLESS GLANDS 



whole surface, is situated above and internally; it is depressed, uncovered by 

 peritoneum, and is in contact in front with the posterior surface of the right lobe 

 of the liver, and along its inner border with the inferior vena cava; the remain- 

 ing area is elevated, and is divided into a nonperitoneal portion, in contact with 

 the hepatic flexure of the duodenum, and a portion covered by peritoneum forming 

 the hepatorenal fold. The posterior surface (fades posterior} is divided into an 

 upper and a lower part by a curved ridge; the upper, slightly concave, rests upon 

 the Diaphragm; the lower, or base (basis glandulae suprarenalis) is concave, 

 and is in contact with the upper end and the adjacent part of the anterior surface 

 of the kidney. 



The left suprarenal (Fig. 1207), slightly larger than the right, is crescentic in 

 shape, its concavity being adapted to the inner border of the upper extremity 

 of the left kidney. It presents an inner border which is convex, and an outer 

 which is concave; its upper border is narrow, and its lower rounded. Its anterior 



SUPRARENAL 

 VEIN 



SUPRARENAL 

 VEIN 



SUPRARENAL 

 ARTERY 



SUPRARENAL 

 ARTERY 



FIG. 1206. The right suprarenal gland. 

 (Spalteholz.) 



FIG. 1207. The left suprarenal gland. 

 (Spalteholz.) 



surface (fades anterior) presents two areas an upper one, covered by the peri- 

 toneum forming the lesser sac, which separates it from the cardiac end of the 

 stomach and to a small extent from the superior extremity of the spleen; and a 

 lower one, which is in contact with the pancreas and splenic artery, and is therefore 

 not covered by the peritoneum. A hilum is present, as in the right suprarenal. 

 Its posterior surface (fades posterior) presents a vertical ridge, which divides it 

 into two areas. The ridge lies in the sulcus between the kidney and crus of the 

 Diaphragm, while the area on either side of it lies on these parts respectively; 

 the outer area, which is thin, resting on the kidney, and the inner and smaller area 

 resting on the left crus of the Diaphragm. 



The surface of the suprarenal gland is surrounded by areolar tissue containing 

 much fat, and closely invested by a thin fibrous coat, which is difficult to remove, 

 on account of numerous fibrous processes and vessels which enter the organ 

 through the furrows on its anterior surface and base. 



Accessory suprarenal glands (glandulae suprarenales accessoriae) are often 

 to be found in the connective tissue around the suprarenals. The smaller of 

 these, on section, show a uniform surface, but in some of the larger a distinct 

 medulla can be made out. 



Structure (Fig. 1208). On making a perpendicular section, the suprarenal gland is seen 

 to consist of two substances surrounded by a capsule- the external or cortical and the 

 internal or medullary. The former, which constitutes the chief part of the organ, is of a deep- 



