The Stomach and Spleen. 117 



body, the spleen (lien). Trace the course of the peritoneum from the 

 dorsal abdominal wall to the liver, as follows: 



(a) A broad fold of peritoneum, the mesogastrium, connects the 

 dorsal abdominal wall and the diaphragm with the left side 

 and dorsal surface of the greater curvature. Its posterior 

 portion is divided into two parts by the spleen. The dorsal 

 part, the phrenicosplenic ligament (lig. phrenicolienale) 

 connects the spleen with the dorsal body-wall! The ventral 

 part, the gastrosplenic ligament (lig. gastrolienale) connects 

 the spleen with the greater curvature. 



(b) The peritoneum is projected backward from the greater 

 curvature as a free fold, the greater omentum (omentum 

 majus), which covers the intestines to a certain extent. It 

 usually contains fat. It is composed of four leaves, of which 

 two come from the surface of the stomach and two others 

 pass forward in a dorsal position from the free posterior 

 border to unite with the transverse mesocolon. 



(c) The lesser omentum (omentum minus) passes from the lesser 

 curvature and the duodenum to the posterior surface of the 

 liver. Its thickened margin on the right side forms the 

 hepatoduodenal ligament (lig. hepatoduodenale) which carries 

 three important vessels of this relation, namely, the 

 common bile duct, the hepatic artery and the portal vein. 

 Its left portion forms a thin membrane, the hepatogastric 

 omentum, connecting the caudate lobe with the lesser 

 curvature. 



3. Working on the left side between the dorsal surface of the stomach 

 and the body-wall, remove sufficient of the peritoneum to expose the 

 first portion of the abdominal aorta as it emerges from the diaphragm. 

 Passing in the direction of the stomach is a median ventral branch, the 

 coeliac artery, the distribution of which may be traced. The following 

 structures, however, should first be identified. 



(a) The superior mesenteric artery (a. mesenterica superior), a 

 second, also much larger, median branch of the aorta, given 

 off a little distance behind the coeliac artery and passing in 

 the direction of the intestine. 



(b) The suprarenal gland (gl. suprarenalis) of the left side, a 

 yellowish disc-shaped body lying some distance from the 

 anteromedial margin of the left kidney. 



(c) The inferior caval vein (v. cava inferior), a large thin- walled 

 vessel lying to the right of the aorta. It is not conspicuous 

 if empty. 



(d) The coeliac ganglion (g. coeliacum) of the sympathetic nervous 

 system lies in front of the superior mesenteric artery. 



(e) The superior mesenteric ganglion (g. mesentericum superius) 

 of the sympathetic system lies immediately behind the su- 

 perior mesenteric artery, and also on its lateral walls. 



JO 



