Viscera (heart, lungs, liver, gastrointestinal tract)
Transverse colon
Colon transversum
- Origin
- Originates at the hepatic flexure beneath the liver
- Insertion
- Crosses the peritoneal cavity to the splenic flexure anchored by the phrenicocolic ligament, joining the descending colon
- Function
- Water/electrolyte absorption and bacterial fermentation of prebiotic dietary fiber
- Innervation
- Dual innervation: proximal two-thirds from superior mesenteric plexus (vagus); distal one-third from inferior mesenteric plexus (pelvic splanchnic nerves S2-S4 at Cannon's point)
- Movement & chain
- Freely mobile intraperitoneal loop suspended by the transverse mesocolon
- Palpation
- Palpable across the mid-abdomen
- Clinical
- Toxic megacolon (severe complication of ulcerative colitis or C. difficile colitis requiring urgent colectomy), transverse colon volvulus.
- Segmental innervation
- T10-T12 and L1-L2/S2-S4
- In clinical practice
- Serial abdominal girth measurements in severe colitis, detecting signs of peritonitis, transverse loop colostomy care
- Region in the model
- Viscera (heart, lungs, liver, gastrointestinal tract)