The document provides an overview of applied anatomy of the abdomen. It describes the abdominal cavity and its walls. The external and internal fascia covering the abdominal cavity are explained. The four types of abdominal muscles are also outlined. The document further discusses the placement of intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal organs within the abdomen and the ligaments connecting various organs. Finally, it summarizes the four major sites for laparotomy or surgical incision of the abdominal wall.

1. Applied Anatomy of Abdomen
Muhammad Khalil Ateeq
2009-ag-3359
M. Phil Anatomy (3rd
)

2. Outline
• Abdominal cavity
• External and internal fascia
• Abdominal muscle
• Intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal organs
• Ligaments
• Topography
• Laparotomy and its sites
• Summary

3. The Abdominal cavity
• The abdominal cavity is the largest of the body
cavities.
• It is separated from the thoracic cavity by the
diaphragm and is continuous behind with the pelvic
cavity.
• The line of demarcation between the abdominal and
pelvic cavities is known as the terminal line, or brim
of the pelvis.
• It is lined with a protective membrane called
peritoneum.

4. The Wall of Abdominal cavity
• The dorsal wall or roof is formed by
Lumbar vertebrae
Lumbar muscles
Lumbar part of the diaphragm.
• The lateral walls are formed by
oblique and transverse abdominal muscles
abdominal tunic
cartilages of the asternal ribs
parts of the posterior ribs which are below the
attachment of the diaphragm.

5. Conti…
• The ventral wall or floor consists of
Two recti
The aponeuroses of the oblique and
transverse muscles
The abdominal tunic
The xiphoid cartilage.
• The anterior wall is formed by
The diaphragm, which is deeply concave

6. External Fascia of the abdominal
cavity
• It includes superficial and deep fascia.
Superficial fascia:
• It envelops the cutaneus trunci and cutaneus
omobrachialis
Deep fascia:
• It covers the external oblique and ventrolateral abdomen.
Linea Alba:
• It is the ventromedian fixation and interwoven fascia and
aponeuroses of the abdominal muscles.

7. Internal Fascia of abdominal cavity
• It lines the
Transeversus and rectus on lateral and
ventral abdominal wall
Psoas and iliacus on dorsal wall
Joins pelvic fascia on pelvic wall

8. Abdominal muscles
• External abdominal oblique
• Internal abdominal oblique
• Transversus abdominis
• Rectus abdominis

9. Abdominal muscles

10. Organs in Abdomen
• Intraperitoneal Organs
– Stomach,
– Small intestine
– Large intestine
– Liver
– Gall bladder
– Pancreas and spleen.
• Retroperitoneal Organs
Organs are described as retroperitoneal if they are located behind the
parietal peritoneum.
These are following
– Kidneys
– Adrenal glands
– Ureters and urinary bladder
– Rectum
– Ovaries and uterus

11. Ligaments
• The gastrophrenic ligament
– From the greater curvature of the stomach to the
crura of the diaphragm.
• The gastrosplenic ligament
– Connects the spleen to the stomach.
• The hepatoduodenal ligament
– From the cranial part of the duodenum to the liver.
The bile duct runs within it.
• The nephrosplenic ligament (renosplenic
ligament)
– In the horse, from spleen to left kidney.
• The ligaments of the Liver

12. Topographic anatomy of bovine
Right side:
•Omasum: ventral part of 7th
-9th
intercostal
space and in right xiphoid region
•Abomasum: fundus in xiphoid region, body
near midline more in left, pyloric near ventral
end of 9th
intercostal space
•Liver: last four intercostal space
•Intestine: upper half-large intestine, lower half-
small intestine

13. Conti…
Left side:
•Rumen: entire left side
•Reticulum: ventral end of 6th
-7th
intercostal space
•Spleen: 12th
intercostal space at the level of tuber
coxae
Kidney:
•Right-2nd
and 3rd
lumber vertebrae
•Left-3rd
and 4th
lumber vertebrae

14. Topographic anatomy of equine
Right side:
•Base of caecum-paralumber fossa
•Body of caecum-caudal border of lateral
abdominal wall
•Right dorsal and ventral colon-cranioventral wall
•Liver-below the costal arch

15. Conti…
Left side:
•Spleen-along the dorsal arch
•Small colon-cranial to tuber coxae
•Small intestine-ventral to small colon
Kidney:
•Right-last 2 ribs and 1st
lumber transverse process
•Left-last rib and 3rd
lumber transverse process

16. Placement of Organs in Bovines
• When the animal
is pregnant (2nd
trimester) then
the uterine horns
shifted to
abdominal cavity
otherwise they
remain in pelvic
cavity .

17. Placement of Organs in Equines

18. Placement of Organs in Dogs

19. Placement of Organs in Cats

20. Laparotomy
• A surgical incision into the abdominal cavity
called Celiotomy/Laparotomy.
• There are four major sites of laparotomy
– Ventral Midline
– Paramedian
– Paracostal
– Flank approach
Combined Midline Paracostal Approach
Combined Paralumber paracostal Approach

21. Ventral Midline
• A ventral midline skin incision beginning near the
xiphoid process and extending caudally to the
pubis.
• The incision is made through the linea alba
• Ventral midline approach further divide in 3 types
 Cranial midline
 Middle midline
 Caudal midline

22. Indication
• C-section
• Colopexy
• Enterectomy
• Cystopexy
• Nephrectomy
• Spleenectomy & etc

23. Paramedian
• Incision is parallel to mid line
• An incision is made through skin, fascia, the
external leaf of rectus abdominis , the rectus
abdominis muscle itself and peritoneum.
• Indications:
– Cryptorchidism
– C-section
– Cystotomy
– Prostatic Biopsy

24. Paracostal
• A ventral paracostal incision is occasionally a
useful adjunct to the ventral midline approach
to gain more exposure of the right or left
cranial quadrant of the abdomen
• The incision is made 3-4 cm caudal to the
costal arch, from the xiphoid to lateral
abdominal wall
• Indications:
– Adrenalectomy,
– Nephrectomy,
– Partial hepatectomy, and biliary surgery.

25. Paramedian & Paracostal Approach

26. In Bovines

27. Flank approach
• Surgically important paralumber fossa is outlined by the
1. Transverse process of lumber vertebrae
2. Last rib
3. Ridge formed by internal oblique extends from tuber
coxae
• An incision is made in flank area according to the
surgeon need and muscles separated in the direction of
their fiber .
• Three muscle encoutered in this approach
 External Abdominal oblique
 Internal Abdominal oblique
 Transversus Abdominis

28. Indications
• Adrenalectomy
• Emergency Cystotomy
• Gastrotomy
• C section
Disadvantage:
• The flank approach is inability to examine
all abdominal organs due to lack of
bilateral exposure.

29. Flank Approach

30. Summary
• The abdominal cavity is the largest of the body
cavities
• Abdominal wall has dorsal ventral and lateral
portion
• External and internal fascia covers different
parts of cavity
• Four types of muscles
• Placement of different organs
• Four major sites of laparotomy.

31. References
• Applied Veterinary Anatomy by De-
Lahunta
• Atlas of Equine Surgery by Adams and
Fessler
• Bovine Anatomy by K. D. Budras
• Anatomy of the Horse by K. D. Budras
• Color Atlas of Dog and Cat by Starsley M.
Done

32. Any Question?

33. Thank You