Abdominal recesses of peritoneal cavity

The abdominal recesses of the peritoneal cavity are potential spaces formed by the reflections, folds, ligaments, and mesenteries of the peritoneum as it lines the abdominal wall (parietal peritoneum) and envelops the viscera (visceral peritoneum). These recesses represent areas where intraperitoneal fluid can accumulate and through which disease processes infectious, inflammatory, neoplastic, or traumatic can spread along predictable anatomical pathways.

The peritoneal cavity is conventionally categorized in terms of sacs, recesses, fossae, pouches, and cavities, with its boundaries defined by reflections, folds, membranes, and ligaments. The transverse mesocolon divides the peritoneal cavity into a supramesocolic (supracolic, abdominal recesses) and an inframesocolic (infracolic) compartment, while the root of the small bowel mesentery further subdivides the infracolic compartment.

The abdominal (Supramesocolic) recesses are:

• Right subphrenic space between the diaphragm and the superior surface of the right lobe of the liver, separated from the left subphrenic space by the falciform ligament.

• Left subphrenic space between the diaphragm and the superior surface of the left lobe of the liver and the spleen.

• Superior duodenal fossa

• Inferior duodenal fossa

• Paraduodenal recess

• Retroduodenal recess

• Intersigmoid recess

• Superior ileocecal recess

• Inferior ileocecal recess

• Retrocecal recess

• Paracolic gutters

• Subphrenic space

• Subhepatic space beneath the right lobe of the liver, anterior to the hepatorenal recess.

• Posterior subhepatic space (hepatorenal recess / Morison's pouch) a dependent recess between the posterior surface of the right lobe of the liver and the right kidney; a common site for fluid accumulation in the supine patient.