ABSTRACT
The abdominal oesophagus, about 3 cm long, enters the abdomen to the left of the midline through the right crus of the diaphragm to join the stomach at the cardiac orifice (Fig. 6.2). The fibres of the right crus form a sling around the oesophagus. At the gastro-oesophageal junction (cardia) or just above it the oesophageal lining of stratified squamous epithelium
The oesophagus 89 The stomach 90 The duodenum 91 The small intestine 92 The large intestine 92 Arterial supply of the gastrointestinal tract 95
Venous drainage of the gastrointestinal tract – the portal venous system 97 Lymphatic drainage of the gastrointestinal tract 98 MCQs 99 EMQs 100 Applied questions 100
Oesophagus
Fundus of stomach
Body of stomach
Pylorus or stomach
Spleen
Splenic flexure of the colon
Right lobe of liver
Fundus of gallbladder
Hepatic flexure of the colon
Ascending colon
Greater omentum
Sigmoid colon
Descending colon
Transverse colon
Figure 6.1 (a) Abdominal cavity showing the positions of the viscera. (b) Abdominal viscera: 1, liver; 2, oesophagus; 3, stomach; 4, spleen; 5, gallbladder; 6, first part of duodenum; 7, head of pancreas; 8, duodenojejunal flexure; 9, transverse colon; 10, ascending colon; 11, descending colon; 12, sigmoid colon; 13, terminal ileum; 14, appendix
(a) (b)
The left and right gastric arteries supply the lesser curvature and nearby gastric wall; the left and right gastroepiploic arteries supply the greater curvature and nearby, and the short gastric branches of the splenic artery supply the fundus gastric wall (Fig. 6.4b). Veins from the stomach pass to the portal vein either directly or via the splenic or superior mesenteric veins (Fig. 6.4c).
