Retroperitoneal space
Spatium retroperitoneale [-peritonaeale]
Definition
The retroperitoneal space is the space filled with connective tissue and fat between peritoneum and dorsal body wall.
It contains organs that are not entirely enclosed by the peritoneal cavity but lie behind it, hence “retro”-peritoneal. In most domestic animals, this space includes structures such as the kidneys, adrenal glands, ureters, aorta, caudal vena cava, and parts of the sympathetic nervous system.
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