Transverse mesocolon - Dog - Thorax - Transversal - vet-Anatomy
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Transverse mesocolon

Mesocolon transversum

Definition

Antoine Micheau

The transverse mesocolon is a fold of peritoneum that suspends the transverse colon from the dorsal abdominal wall. It is continuous with the greater mesentery and serves as a conduit for blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves supplying the transverse colon.

It lies transversely across the abdomen, crossing the midline and dividing the abdominal cavity into:

  • A cranial (supracolic) compartment containing the stomach and liver.

  • A caudal (infracolic) compartment containing the small intestine and other parts of the colon.

Attachment Sites:

  • It connects the transverse colon to the parietal peritoneum near the cranial mesenteric artery and is also attached to the pancreas.

  • It is in close proximity to the greater omentum, stomach, and pancreas.

  • It is continuous with the mesoduodenum and mesojejunum in many species.

References

Dyce KM, Sack WO, Wensing CJG. Textbook of Veterinary Anatomy. 5th ed. Saunders; 2017.

Evans HE, de Lahunta A. Miller’s Anatomy of the Dog. 5th ed. Elsevier; 2020.

König HE, Liebich H-G. Veterinary Anatomy of Domestic Mammals: Textbook and Colour Atlas. 6th ed. Schattauer; 2020.

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