Retroperitoneal
The retroperitoneum is an anatomical area that lies behind the abdominal cavity, also known as the peritoneal cavity. Organs in the abdomen that aren’t suspended by mesentery and sit within the abdomen wall as well as the parietal peritoneum, are thought to be in the retroperitoneum. There are several spaces that make up the retroperitoneum. The spaces include the anterior pararenal space the posterior pararenal space, as well as the space perirenal. Each one of them is home to various Organs as well as structures. These structures contain organs that are involved in a variety of systems within the body, such as the adrenal, urinary the gastrointestinal, circulatory and the endocrine systems. The article will explore the function, structure as well as the embryology and anatomy of the retroperitoneum. It will also discuss its clinical importance and surgical concerns.
Structure and Function
The retroperitoneum is divided into three distinct anatomical spaces including the anterior pararenal area as well as the perirenal and the posterior pararenal space. The anterior pararenal space is home to the head, neck and pancreas’ body (the pancreas’s tail is inside the splenorenal artery) as well as the ascending and descending colons as well as the duodenum (except for the proximal initial segment).
The structures that are contained in the perirenal area include the adrenal gland kidney, ureters, as well as renal veins. The posterior pararenal space that is enclosed by the anterior leaves of the renal fascia, as well as muscles of the abdominal posterior wall, does not contain any major organs, and is made up predominantly of lymphatics, blood vessels. There is another, less defined space that is known as the vast vessel space. It is situated in front of the vertebral bodies and the psoas muscles and houses the aorta inferior vena cava and the surrounding fat.
Retroperitoneal inflammation
Retroperitoneal inflammation can cause swelling in the retroperitoneal area. In time, it may result in a mass in the abdomen, which is known as retroperitoneal fibrosis.
The retroperitoneal space lies just in the back of your lower back, and behind the abdominal liner (peritoneum). Organs that reside in this area include:
- Kidneys
- Lymph nodes
- Pancreas
- Spleen
- Ureters
Causes
Retroperitoneal inflammation and fibrosis are an uncommon disease that occurs in a small percentage of patients. There isn’t a clear reason for it in around 70 percent of cases. Most likely, it is because of an inflammation of the abdominal Aortic blood vessel.
Situations that rarely cause this include:
Radiation therapy for cancer of the abdomen
Cancer of the bladder colon, breast lymphoma, prostate Sarcoma
Carcinoid
Crohn disease
Tuberculosis and tuberculosis-related infections and histoplasmosis
Certain medicines, including methysergide and ergotamine pergolide, methyldopa infliximab, and etanercept.
The surgical procedure of structures within the retroperitoneum
