Biology 122 Spring, 2008

Laboratory 15

The Celiac and Superior Mesenteric Vessels and Related Visceral Organs

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this dissection you should:

1. Understand the omental bursa, its subdivisions and anatomical relationships.

2. Know the origin, course, distribution and the anastomotic connections of the branches of the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery.

3. Know the basic parts of the stomach. The internal and external features of the stomach and duodenum should be understood.

4. Understand the gross morphological subdivisions of the pancreas and the important relationships of this organ to blood vessels and other viscera. Be able to identify the arrangement and position of the ducts of the pancreas in relation to the duodenum and common bile duct.

5. Know the characteristic internal and external features of the small intestine, from the duodenojejunal junction to the ileocolic junction.

6. Understand the structure and function of the portal system and be able to identify its component parts in the cadaver. The parts to recognize include the major veins which converge to form the portal vein (splenic, superior mesenteric and/or inferior mesenteric veins), the portal vein itself, the hepatic sinusoids and the hepatic veins which empty into the inferior vena cava.

7. Be able to diagram the collateral venous pathways associated with the portal system and understand their importance when portal obstruction occurs.

8. Have a detailed knowledge of the liver (surfaces, lobes, ligaments) and biliary system (bile ducts, cystic duct, gallbladder) and be able to summarize the structure and relationships of the liver and biliary ducts.

PRELAB PREPARATION

1. For this and the next dissection read the chapters in your textbook on the anatomy and relationships of the abdominal viscera (pp. 231-288). For this dissection, concentrate on material covering the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric arteries Give detailed consideration to collateral circulation and the position of the vessels relative to the viscera and their mesenteries.

2. Read about the portal system and the liver, the gallbladder and bile ducts and the blood supply and innervation of the gut (pp. 289-308). Study plate 293 of Netter.