Descending colon
Hidden edits. Some edits not affecting the appearance of this article have been suppressed.
Updates to Article Attributes
Body
was changed:
The descending colon is the continuation of the transverse colon after the left colic flexure, where the colon loses its mesentery.
Gross morphology and relationsanatomy
The descending colon measures up to 25cm25 cm length and is secondarily retroperitoneal. It descends down and is attached to the left posterior abdominal wall and continues as the sigmoid colon. Peritoneum covers the anterior and lateral surfaces.
Relations
- anteriorly
- loops: loops of small intestine, anterior abdominal wall, greater omentum - posteriorly: posterior abdominal wall
- distal descending colon crosses over external iliac and gonadal vessels
- laterally
- paracolic: paracolic gutter - medially
- right: right infracolic gutter
Blood supply
- arterial
-- branches of inferior mesenteric artery:
- descending branch of left colic artery
- proximal: proximal descending colon -
sigmoid arteries
- distal: distal descending colon
- descending branch of left colic artery
- branches of inferior mesenteric artery:
- venous
- similarly: similarly named veins draining to the splenic vein and portal venous system
Nerve supply
- sympathetic: inferior mesenteric plexus
- parasympathetic
- via: via pelvic splanchnic nerves (S2-S4)
Lymphatic supplydrainage
Lymphatics travel with vessels to the inferior mesenteric group
-<p>The<strong> descending colon</strong> is the continuation of the <a href="/articles/transverse-colon" title="Transverse colon">transverse colon </a>after the <a href="/articles/left-colic-flexure" title="Left colic flexure">left colic flexure</a>, where the <a href="/articles/large-intestine-1" title="Colon">colon</a> loses its <a href="/articles/mesentery" title="Mesentery">mesentery</a>. </p><h4>Gross morphology and relations</h4><p>The descending colon measures up to 25cm length and is secondarily retroperitoneal. It descends down and is attached to the left posterior abdominal wall and continues as the <a href="/articles/sigmoid-colon" title="sigmoid colon">sigmoid colon</a>. <a href="/articles/peritoneum" title="Peritoneum">Peritoneum</a> covers the anterior and lateral surfaces. </p><h5>Relations</h5><ul>-<li style="line-height: 1.5;">anteriorly - loops of <a href="/articles/small_bowel(textbook)" title="small intestine">small intestine</a>, <a href="/articles/anterior-abdominal-wall" title="anterior abdominal wall">anterior abdominal wall</a>, <a href="/articles/greater-omentum" title="greater omentum">greater omentum</a>-</li>-<li style="line-height: 1.5;">posteriorly - <a href="/articles/posterior-abdominal-wall" title="posterior abdominal wall">posterior abdominal wall</a><ul><li style="line-height: 1.5;">distal descending colon crosses over <a href="/articles/external-iliac-artery" title="external iliac artery">external iliac</a> and gonadal vessels</li></ul>-</li>-<li>laterally - paracolic gutter</li>-<li>medially - right infracolic gutter</li>- +<p>The<strong> descending colon</strong> is the continuation of the <a href="/articles/transverse-colon">transverse colon </a>after the <a href="/articles/left-colic-flexure">left colic flexure</a>, where the <a href="/articles/large-intestine-1">colon</a> loses its <a href="/articles/mesentery">mesentery</a>. </p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The descending colon measures up to 25 cm length and is secondarily retroperitoneal. It descends down and is attached to the left posterior abdominal wall and continues as the <a href="/articles/sigmoid-colon">sigmoid colon</a>. <a href="/articles/peritoneum">Peritoneum</a> covers the anterior and lateral surfaces. </p><h5>Relations</h5><ul>
- +<li>anteriorly: loops of <a href="/articles/small-bowel">small intestine</a>, <a href="/articles/anterior-abdominal-wall">anterior abdominal wall</a>, <a href="/articles/greater-omentum">greater omentum</a>
- +</li>
- +<li>posteriorly: <a href="/articles/posterior-abdominal-wall">posterior abdominal wall</a><ul><li>distal descending colon crosses over <a href="/articles/external-iliac-artery">external iliac</a> and gonadal vessels</li></ul>
- +</li>
- +<li>laterally: paracolic gutter</li>
- +<li>medially: right infracolic gutter</li>
-<li>arterial - branches of <a href="/articles/inferior-mesentric-artery" title="Inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) ">inferior mesenteric artery</a>:<ul>-<li>descending branch of<a href="/articles/left-colic-artery" title="Left colic artery"> left colic artery</a> - proximal descending colon</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/sigmoid-arteries" title="Sigmoid arteries">sigmoid arteries</a> - distal descending colon</li>- +<li>arterial<ul><li>branches of <a href="/articles/inferior-mesenteric-artery">inferior mesenteric artery</a>:<ul>
- +<li>descending branch of<a href="/articles/left-colic-artery"> left colic artery</a>: proximal descending colon</li>
- +<li>
- +<a href="/articles/sigmoid-arteries">sigmoid arteries</a>: distal descending colon</li>
-</li>-<li>venous - similarly named veins draining to the <a href="/articles/splenic-vein" title="splenic vein">splenic vein</a> and <a href="/articles/portal-venous-system" title="portal venous system">portal venous system</a>-</li>- +</li></ul>
- +</li>
- +<li>venous: similarly named veins draining to the <a href="/articles/splenic-vein">splenic vein</a> and <a href="/articles/portal-venous-system">portal venous system</a>
- +</li>
-<li>sympathetic - <a href="/articles/inferior-mesenteric-plexus" title="inferior mesenteric plexus">inferior mesenteric plexus</a>-</li>-<li>parasympathetic - via pelvic splanchnic nerves (S2-S4)</li>-</ul><h4>Lymphatic supply</h4><p>Lymphatics travel with vessels to the inferior mesenteric group</p>- +<li>sympathetic: <a href="/articles/inferior-mesenteric-plexus">inferior mesenteric plexus</a>
- +</li>
- +<li>parasympathetic: via pelvic splanchnic nerves (S2-S4)</li>
- +</ul><h4>Lymphatic drainage</h4><p>Lymphatics travel with vessels to the inferior mesenteric group</p>
Images Changes:
Image 1 Diagram ( create )
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.