NURS 1543 Lecture 5: 1543 Abdomen
15 Jan 2017
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Document Summary
Abdomen: a large oval cavity extending from the diaphragm down to the top of the pelvis. Bordered in back by the vertebral column and paravertebral muscles and at the sides and front by the lower rib cage and abdominal muscles. One muscle, the rectus abdominis, forms a strip extending the length of the midline, and its edge is often palpable. Viscera: all the internal organs inside the abdominal cavity. Solid viscera: viscera that maintain a characteristic shape (liver, pancreas, spleen, adrenal glands, kidneys, ovaries, and uterus). liver fills most of the right upper quadrant (ruq) and extends over to the left midclavicular line. The pancreas is a soft, lobulated gland located. It stretches obliquely across the posterior abdominal wall to the left upper quadrant (luq). The well protected by the posterior ribs and musculature. Hollow viscera (stomach, gallbladder, small intestine, colon, and bladder): shape depends on contents.
