What structure needs to be divided to access the coeliac trunk during surgery?

What structure needs to be divided to access the coeliac trunk during surgery?

• A. Greater omentum
• B. Lesser omentum
• C. Mesentery of small intestine
• D. Abdominal diaphragm

Answer: (B)

To access the coeliac trunk during surgery, the lesser omentum is the structure that needs to be divided. The lesser omentum is a fold of peritoneum that extends from the liver to the lesser curvature of the stomach and the proximal duodenum. It contains important vascular structures, including the hepatic artery and the portal vein, as well as the coeliac trunk, which branches off the descending aorta to supply blood to vital abdominal organs. Dividing the lesser omentum provides a surgical pathway to reach the coeliac trunk safely while minimizing damage to surrounding structures. In contrast, the other structures listed serve different roles or pathways in the abdominal cavity. The greater omentum, for example, primarily functions in fat storage and immune response, and while the mesentery of the small intestine is essential for vascular supply to the intestines, it does not directly involve access to the coeliac trunk. The abdominal diaphragm, being a muscular structure that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity, is also not relevant for accessing the coeliac trunk. Hence, dividing the lesser omentum is essential for surgical exposure of the coeliac trunk.

To access the coeliac trunk during surgery, the lesser omentum is the structure that needs to be divided. The lesser omentum is a fold of peritoneum that extends from the liver to the lesser curvature of the stomach and the proximal duodenum. It contains important vascular structures, including the hepatic artery and the portal vein, as well as the coeliac trunk, which branches off the descending aorta to supply blood to vital abdominal organs.

Dividing the lesser omentum provides a surgical pathway to reach the coeliac trunk safely while minimizing damage to surrounding structures. In contrast, the other structures listed serve different roles or pathways in the abdominal cavity. The greater omentum, for example, primarily functions in fat storage and immune response, and while the mesentery of the small intestine is essential for vascular supply to the intestines, it does not directly involve access to the coeliac trunk. The abdominal diaphragm, being a muscular structure that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity, is also not relevant for accessing the coeliac trunk. Hence, dividing the lesser omentum is essential for surgical exposure of the coeliac trunk.