Falciform ligament
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Jeremy Jones had no recorded disclosures.
View Jeremy Jones's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Henry Knipe had the following disclosures:
- Integral Diagnostics, Shareholder (ongoing)
- Micro-X Ltd, Shareholder (ongoing)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures- Falciform ligaments
The falciform ligament is a broad and thin peritoneal ligament. It is sickle-shaped and a remnant of the ventral mesentery of the fetus.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
The falciform ligament is situated in an anteroposterior plane but lies obliquely so that one surface faces forward and is in contact with the peritoneum behind the right rectus abdominis (anterior abdominal wall) and the diaphragm, while the other is directed backward and is in contact with the left lobe of the liver (anterior surface of liver) 5.
It contains between its layers a small but variable amount of fat and its free edge contains the obliterated umbilical vein (ligamentum teres) and if present, the falciform artery, and paraumbilical veins. The falciform ligament divides the left and right subphrenic compartments but may still allow passage of fluid from one to the other.
Arterial supply
Blood supply is very variable, and a separate hepatic falciform artery was only seen in 67% of cadavers in one study 3,4.
left inferior phrenic artery and middle hepatic artery anastomose to form a single artery that then ramifies as 6-12 branches to supply the falciform ligament
Venous drainage
left inferior phrenic vein drains the falciform ligament
History and etymology
The ligament derives its name from its shape, which is reminiscent of a sickle. Falciform is Latin for sickle-shaped. In the same way, the falx cerebri, is a sickle-shaped fold of dura separating the two cerebral hemispheres.
References
- 1. Standring S (editor). Gray's Anatomy (39th edition). Churchill Livingstone. (2011) ISBN:0443066841. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Tirkes T, Sandrasegaran K, Patel AA et-al. Peritoneal and retroperitoneal anatomy and its relevance for cross-sectional imaging. Radiographics. 2012;32 (2): 437-51. doi:10.1148/rg.322115032 - Pubmed citation
- 3. Li XP, Xu DC, Tan HY, Li CL. Anatomical study on the morphology and blood supply of the falciform ligament and its clinical significance. Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA. 26 (2): 106-9. doi:10.1007/s00276-003-0184-0 - Pubmed
- 4. Favelier S, Germain T, Genson PY, Cercueil JP, Denys A, Krausé D, Guiu B. Anatomy of liver arteries for interventional radiology. Diagnostic and interventional imaging. 96 (6): 537-46. doi:10.1016/j.diii.2013.12.001 - Pubmed
- 5. Stephanie Ryan, Michelle McNicholas, Stephen J. Eustace. Anatomy for Diagnostic Imaging. (2011) ISBN: 9780702029714 - Google Books
Incoming Links
- Football sign (pneumoperitoneum)
- Left subphrenic space
- Right subphrenic space
- Focal hepatic steatosis
- Peritoneal ligaments
- Left supramesocolic space
- Falciform ligament hernia
- Perigastric appendagitis
- Focal fatty sparing of the liver
- Grey Turner sign
- Coronary ligament (liver)
- Umbilical vein
- Falciform ligament sign
- Ligamentum teres hepatis (abdomen)
- Liver
- Hepatic pseudolesion near falciform ligament
- Anterior left perihepatic space
- Gallbladder
- Right supramesocolic space
- Paraumbilical veins
- Hepatic ligaments anatomy (annotated CT)
- Torsion of a fatty appendage of the falciform ligament
- Hepatic pseudolesion near falciform ligament
- Recanalization of falciform ligament in cirrhosis
- Pneumoperitoneum and respiratory distress syndrome
- Falciform ligament and ligamentum teres outlined by ascites
- Ischaemic bowel
- Cirrhosis secondary to chronic hepatitis C
Related 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
- pelvic cavity
- perineum
- abdominal and pelvic viscera
- gastrointestinal tract
- spleen
- hepatobiliary system
-
endocrine system
-
adrenal gland
- adrenal vessels
- chromaffin cells
- variants
- pancreas
- organs of Zuckerkandl
-
adrenal gland
-
urinary system
-
kidney
- renal pelvis
- renal sinus
- avascular plane of Brodel
-
variants
- number
- fusion
- location
- shape
- ureter
- urinary bladder
- urethra
- embryology
-
kidney
- male reproductive system
-
female reproductive system
- vulva
- vagina
- uterus
- adnexa
- Fallopian 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
-
common iliac artery
- external iliac artery
-
internal iliac artery (mnemonic)
- anterior division
- umbilical artery
- superior vesical artery
- obturator artery
- vaginal artery
- inferior vesical artery
- uterine artery
- middle rectal artery
-
internal pudendal artery
- inferior rectal artery
-
perineal artery
- posterior scrotal artery
- transverse perineal artery
- artery to the bulb
- deep artery of the penis/clitoris
- dorsal artery of the penis/clitoris
- inferior gluteal artery
- posterior division (mnemonic)
- variant anatomy
- anterior division
-
abdominal aorta
- portal venous system
- veins
- anastomoses
- arterioarterial anastomoses
- portal-systemic venous collateral pathways
- watershed areas
- arteries
- lymphatics
- innervation of the abdomen and pelvis
- thoracic splanchnic nerves
- lumbar plexus
-
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
- autonomic ganglia and plexuses
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.