Mesenteries

Ilaocecal fold

A fold of connecting peritoneum between the ileum and cecum. The jejunum and ileum are grossly indistinguishable. Use the proximal extent of this fold to roughly determine the beginning of the ileum. The proximal end of the antimesenteric ileal artery can also be used to roughly determine the junction of the ileum and jejunum.

Duodenocolic ligament

A peritoneal fold connecting the ascending duodenum to the descending colon.

Mesenteries

A type of connecting peritoneum between the intestinal and reproductive tracts to the abdominal wall. They are the expansive, double-layered serosal folds between the visceral peritoneum and the parietal peritoneum. They contain the blood vessels, lymphatics and veres supplying their respective organs. They are nemaed according to the organs they suspend by adding the name of the organ to meso-. The "broad ligament" is desribed in the chatper on repro.

Bovine mesentery

Short when compared to other species. This makes exteriorizing parts of the intestine difficult. The mesentery in young calves and emaciated adults is filled with fat which, during surgery, obscures parts lying deep to them. The mesenteries of the ascending duodenum, The distal loop of the ascending colon, the transverse colon and the cranial part of the descending colon are fused together into a "conjoined tendon." The "conjoined tendon" anchors these structures high in the abdomen, making them difficult to distinguish from each other.

Mesojejunum and mesoileum

The continuation of the mesoduodenum that is very long and wide to support the jejunum and ileum.

Bovine "flange"

The most mobile part of the small intestine due to its long mesentery. It consists of the distal part of the jejunum and the proximal part of the ileum.

Root of the mesentery

The narrow attachment of the long mesojejunum and mesoileum to the dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity. Located at the level of the second lumbar vertebra, it is thick because it contains the cranial mesenteric artery, intestinal lymphatics, and the mesenteric plexus of the autonomic nerves. It is continuous toward the mouth (orad) with the mesoduodenum and away from the mouth (aborad) with the mesocolon.

Mesoduodenum

The peritoneal fold suspending the duodenum from the dorsal body wall. The descending mesoduodenum encloses the right lobe of the pancreas.

Mesocolon

The serosa fold suspending the colon. It can be divided into ascending, transverse and descending mesocolons.

Mesorectum

The short mesentery suspending the rectum from the dorsal wall of the pelvic cavity.