Overview

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The abdomen houses the organs responsible for digestion, nutrient absorption, and metabolic processing, and this course builds a working map of that region from the outside in. The course opens with surface anatomy and the layers of the anterolateral abdominal wall, then works through the peritoneum and the reflections that organize the abdominal cavity into compartments. From there, the course moves organ by organ through the gastrointestinal viscera: the esophagus and stomach, the small and large intestine, the liver and gallbladder, and the pancreas and spleen. The course then turns to the vascular supply of the abdomen and the anatomy of the posterior abdominal wall, before closing with gastrointestinal physiology, including motility, secretion, digestion, and absorption. Throughout, the emphasis is on how structure explains function: why an organ sits where it does, how its blood supply and peritoneal attachments constrain its mobility, and how its physiology depends on the anatomy established earlier in the course. This structural and vascular foundation is drawn on directly in the pelvic and reproductive anatomy covered later in this program.

Syllabus

Surface Anatomy of the Abdomen
- This module covers the surface anatomy of the abdomen, including reference lines, regions, and the dermatomal and visceral landmarks used to localize underlying organs.
Anterolateral Abdominal Wall
- This module examines the muscular and fascial architecture of the anterolateral abdominal wall, its blood and nerve supply, and the anatomy of the inguinal canal, including the clinical significance of inguinal hernias.
Peritoneum and Peritoneal Cavity
- This module covers the anatomy of the peritoneum and peritoneal cavity, including the classification of abdominal organs by their peritoneal relationships and the structure of the mesenteries, ligaments, and omenta that subdivide the cavity.
Anatomy of the Esophagus and Stomach
- This module covers the anatomy of the esophagus and stomach, including their structural divisions, blood supply, and innervation, as well as the cellular basis of gastric acid secretion and its relevance to peptic ulcer disease.
Anatomy of the Small Intestine
- This module examines the surface anatomy, wall structure, and regional divisions of the small intestine—duodenum, jejunum, and ileum—along with its blood supply.
Anatomy of the Large Intestine
- This module covers the anatomy of the large intestine, including its distinguishing structural features, wall histology, the cecum and appendix, and its arterial supply.
Anatomy of the Liver and Gallbladder
- This module covers the lobar and segmental anatomy of the liver, its peritoneal relations, the anatomy of the gallbladder and biliary tree, and the vascular supply of both organs.
Anatomy of the Pancreas and Spleen
- This module examines the anatomy and function of the pancreas and spleen, their relationship to the biliary tree, and their shared vascular supply.
Vascular Supply of the Abdomen
- This module covers the arterial supply of the gastrointestinal tract by embryological region and its venous drainage into the hepatic portal system, including the clinical significance of portal-systemic anastomoses.
Posterior Abdominal Wall
- This module covers the muscular, vascular, and nervous anatomy of the posterior abdominal wall, including the diaphragm, abdominal aorta, inferior vena cava, and lumbar plexus.
Gastrointestinal Physiology
- This module explores the physiology of the gastrointestinal system, covering the neural and hormonal control of digestion, the secretory functions of the salivary, gastric, pancreatic, and biliary systems, and the processes of digestion, absorption, and motility that move and process food through the gut.