Epiploic appendage
Epiploic appendages (or appendix epiploica, plural: appendices epiploicae) are peritoneum-lined protrusions of subserosal fat that arise from the surface of the large bowel.
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Gross anatomy
Epiploic appendages typically measure 1.5 x 3.5 cm but have been reported to measure up to 15 cm in length 4. There are between 50-100 of them in the large bowel and extend from the cecum (where they may be absent) to the rectosigmoid junction. They are distributed longitudinally in two rows on the medial (along the taenia libera) and the posterolateral (along the taenia omentalis) aspects of the large bowel. There is only one row of appendices epiplicoae along the transverse colon and there are none along the rectum.
Blood supply
They are supplied by one to two small nutrient arteries that pierce the bowel serosa; it is here where colonic diverticula are thought to arise.
Radiographic features
Not normally visible on fluoroscopy, radiography or CT unless they are surrounded by contrasting material (e.g. contrast medium from HSG, hemoperitoneum or ascites) 4.
Related pathology
Related Radiopaedia articles
Anatomy: Abdominopelvic
- skeleton of the abdomen and pelvis
- muscles of the abdomen and pelvis
- spaces of the abdomen and pelvis
- anterior abdominal wall
- posterior abdominal wall
-
abdominal cavity
-
peritoneum
- peritoneal ligaments
- mesentery
-
peritoneal spaces
-
supramesocolic space
-
right supramesocolic space
- right subphrenic space
-
right subhepatic space
- anterior right subhepatic space
- posterior right subhepatic space (Morison pouch)
-
lesser sac
- epiploic foramen (of Winslow)
- left supramesocolic space (left perihepatic space)
-
right supramesocolic space
- inframesocolic space
-
supramesocolic space
- inguinal canal (mnemonic)
- Hesselbach triangle
- umbilical folds
- retroperitoneum
-
peritoneum
- pelvic cavity
- perineum
- abdominal and pelvic viscera
- gastrointestinal tract
- spleen
- hepatobiliary system
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endocrine system
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adrenal gland
- adrenal vessels
- chromaffin cells
- variants
- pancreas
- organs of Zuckerkandl
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adrenal gland
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urinary system
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kidney
- renal pelvis
- renal sinus
- avascular plane of Brodel
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variants
- number
- fusion
- location
- shape
- ureter
- urinary bladder
- urethra
- embryology
-
kidney
- male reproductive system
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female reproductive system
- vulva
- vagina
- uterus
- uterine tubes
- ovaries
- broad ligament (mnemonic)
- variant anatomy
- embryology
- blood supply of the abdomen and pelvis
- arteries
-
abdominal aorta
- inferior phrenic artery
- celiac artery
- superior mesenteric artery
- middle suprarenal artery
- renal artery (variant anatomy)
- gonadal artery (ovarian artery | testicular artery)
- inferior mesenteric artery
- lumbar arteries
- median sacral artery
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common iliac artery
- external iliac artery
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internal iliac artery (mnemonic)
- anterior division
- posterior division (mnemonic)
- variant anatomy
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abdominal aorta
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- anastomoses
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- watershed areas
- arteries
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- innervation of the abdomen and pelvis
- lumbar plexus
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sacral plexus
- lumbosacral trunk
- sciatic nerve
- superior gluteal nerve
- inferior gluteal nerve
- nerve to piriformis
- perforating cutaneous nerve
- posterior femoral cutaneous nerve
- parasympathetic pelvic splanchnic nerves
- pudendal nerve
- nerve to quadratus femoris and inferior gemellus muscles
- nerve to internal obturator and superior gemellus muscles
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