General Abdomen: Omentum Anatomy & Physiology

Omentum

Omentum

  • Large Fold of Visceral Peritoneum Containing Adipose Tissue
  • Contains 2x Concentration of Tissue Factor – Promotes Extrinsic Coagulation in Trauma/Infection
  • Blood Supply: Right & Left Gastroepiploic Arteries
    • Considered to Have a Rich Vascular Supply

Divisions

  • Lesser Omentum – Hangs Down from Liver to the Lesser Curvature of the Stomach
  • Greater Omentum – Hangs Down from the Greater Curvature of the Stomach

Function

  • Immune-Regulation:
    • Adheres to Sites of Inflammation & Expands to Contain Intraperitoneal Infection
    • “Milky Spots” Within the Omentum Contain Resident Macrophages to Allow Rapid Migration to Sites of Inflammation for Bacterial Clearance
  • Tissue Regeneration:
    • Omentum Promotes Wound Healing with Tissue Regeneration
    • Promotes Neovascularization/Neoangiogenesis in Adjacent Structures
    • Biological Mechanism is Poorly Understood
  • Omental Transposition/Flap Over an Injured Organ/Tissue Can Be Used to Promote Healing

Omentum 1

References

  1. Makarewicz W, Bobowicz M, Sawicka W, Rzyman W. The treatment of chronic pleural empyema with laparoscopic omentoplasty. Initial Report. Wideochir Inne Tech Maloinwazyjne. 2014 Dec;9(4):548-53. (License: CC BY-NC-ND-3.0)