The word [peritoneum] has a Greek origin [περίτόνοςαιον]. Loosely translated it has the preffix [peri-] meaning "around", the root [-ton-] from the Greek [tonos], meaning "to stretch", and the suffix [-eum] meaning "a membrane". It is "a membrane that is stretched around".
The peritoneum is a thin serosal membranous sac found in the abdominopelvic cavity. Histologically it is composed of a layer of mesothelium supported by a layer of connective tissue. Being a serosal sac, it contains in its interior a small amount of peritoneal fluid. The pathological accumulation of peritoneal fluid is called ascitis.
Although the peritoneum is one continuous membrane, and because of its relation to the organs and the abdominal wall, the peritoneum is described as formed by two components:
• Parietal peritoneum: The parietal peritoneum is that portion of the peritoneal sac related to or in contact with the walls of the abdomen and the pelvis.
• Visceral peritoneum: The visceral peritoneum is that portion of the peritoneal sac related to or in contact with the abdominopelvic viscera. I this case the peritoneum encases the viscera almost completely and is referred to as their serosa layer i,e: serosa layer of the ileum.
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