Practice Quiz - Peritoneal Cavity & Intestines
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  1. Which of the following veins does not run a course parallel to the artery of the same name?
    superior epigastric
    superficial circumflex iliac
    inferior mesenteric
    superior rectal
    ileocolic
  2. The presence of which feature (also obvious on a radiograph with barium contrast) distinguishes small from large bowel?
    Circular folds of the mucosa
    Circular smooth muscle layer in the wall
    Mucosal glands
    Longitudinal smooth muscle layer in the wall
    Serosa
  3. Occlusion of the inferior mesenteric artery is seldom symptomatic because its territory may be supplied by branches of the:
    Gastroduodenal
    Ileocolic
    Middle colic
    Right colic
    Splenic
  4. During exploratory abdominal surgery on a 55-year-old male complaining of right lower quadrant pain, the surgeon initially sees no appendix but knows that he can quickly locate it by
    looking at the confluence of the teniae coli
    palpating the ileocecal valve and looking just above it
    following the course of the right colic artery
    removing the right layer of the mesentery of the jejunoileum
    palpating and inspecting the pelvic brim
  5. During development of the gut:
    the sigmoid colon is retroperitoneal
    the inferior mesenteric artery is the axis for rotation of the midgut loop
    the stomach rotates around its longitudinal axis causing the ventral border to become the greater curvature
    the liver is non-functional
    none of the above
  6. Meckel's diverticulum:
    is an abnormal persistance of the urachus
    is a site of ectopic pancreatic tissue
    is caused by a failure of the midgut loop to return to the abdominal cavity
    is an abnormal connection of the midgut to the duodenum
    is associated with polyhydramnios
  7. Visceral pain is often referred to a site on the body wall (where the patient "feels" it) that is innervated by the same spinal cord segment that innervates the visceral organ involved. Pain of appendicitis is often first felt around the umbilicus, indicating that the appendix receives its sympathetic (and thus visceral afferents) from which spinal cord segment?
    T 9
    T 10
    T 11
    T 12
    L 1
  8. A surgical maneuver which takes advantage of the avascular plane of fusion fascia can be applied to mobilize all of the organs below, except the:
    Ascending colon
    Descending colon
    Duodenum
    Kidney
    Pancreas
  9. A surgeon performing an appendectomy was unable to identify the base of the appendix due to massive adhesions in the peritoneal cavity. Eventually she identified the cecum and was able to localize the base of the appendix. What anatomical structure(s) on the cecum would she have used to find the base of the appendix?
    Omental appendages
    Haustra coli
    Ileal orifice
    Semilunar folds
    Teniae coli
  10. The spleen normally does not descend below the costal margin. However, it pushes downward and medially when pathologically enlarged. What structure limits the straight vertical downward movement?
    Left colic flexure
    Left suprarenal gland
    Ligament of Treitz
    Pancreas
    Stomach
  11. During the surgical repair of a hiatal hernia, the celiac branch of the posterior vagal trunk was severed accidentally. The damage to this nerve would affect the muscular movements, as well as some secretory activities, of the gastrointestinal tract (GI). Which segment is least likely to be affected by the nerve damage?
    Ascending colon
    Cecum
    Jejunum
    Ileum
    Sigmoid colon
  12. A 70-year-old man with cancer of the ascending colon was admitted to the hospital for tumor removal. The surgeon may perform any of these surgical procedures EXCEPT:
    an incision in the left lower quadrant to access the tumor.
    examination of the superior mesenteric lymph nodes for possible metastasis.
    ligation of the relevant branches of the superior mesenteric artery.
    mobilization of the concerned intestinal segment by freeing its fusion fascia.
    protect the peritoneum from possible fecal contamination.
  13. A 60-year-old woman arrived at the emergency room complaining of acute abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with ischemic bowel resulting from an obstruction of one or more branches of the inferior mesenteric artery. Which of the following is most likely NOT to be seriously affected by the ischemia?
    Cecum
    Descending colon
    Rectum
    Sigmoid colon
    Splenic flexure
  14. A surgeon has decided to perform a segmental resection of the descending colon on a 70-year-old man with intestinal cancer. In principle, any of these surgical procedures might be necessary EXCEPT:
    An extended left lower quadrant incision to approach the descending colon.
    Examining the sacral lymph nodes for possible enlargement.
    Ligation of the relevant left colic artery branches.
    Mobilizing the concerned intestinal segment by freeing its fusion fascia.
    Protecting the peritoneum from possible fecal contamination.
  15. As the bowel is exposed, the surgeon says in amazement, "This is a loop of large bowel!" Which characteristic(s) would identify it specifically as large bowel?
    A serosa
    Circular folds
    Epiploic appendages
    Tenia
    C and D
  16. The anastomotic artery running along the border of the large intestine is called the:
    Arcade
    Arteriae rectae
    Coronary
    Ileocolic
    Marginal
  17. The inferior mesenteric artery is often occluded by atherosclerosis without symptoms; its normal area of distribution therefore must be supplied by collateral blood flow between which arteries?
    Ileocolic and right colic
    Left and middle colic
    Left colic and sigmoidal
    Right and middle colic
    Sigmoidal and superior rectal
  18. The artery of the midgut is the:
    Celiac trunk
    Inferior mesenteric
    Proper hepatic
    Splenic
    Superior mesenteric
  19. A 57-year-old male complains of intense chest pain, but tests rule out any cardiac pathology. It was determined that the patient suffers from an esophageal (hiatal) hernia in which the stomach herniates through an enlarged esophageal hiatus. Muscle fibers from which of the following parts of the diaphragm would border directly on this hernia?
    left crus
    right crus
    central tendon
    costal fibers
    sternal fibers
  20. Sympathetic fibers in the greater splanchnic nerve arise from neuron cell bodies found in the:
    brainstem
    celiac ganglion
    chain ganglion
    spinal cord
    superior mesenteric ganglion
  21. The celiac plexus of nerves may contain fibers derived from all of the following sources except:
    posterior vagal trunk
    greater thoracic splanchnic nerve
    lesser thoracic splanchnic nerve
    lumbar splanchnic nerves
  22. Regarding the diaphragm, which, is paired INCORRECTLY?
    Vertebrocostal trigone - lateral arcuate ligament
    Esophageal hiatus - right crus
    Medial arcuate ligament - psoas muscle
    Central tendon - aortic hiatus
    Vena caval foramen - right phrenic nerve
  23. The vagus nerve passes into the abdomen by passing through the
    Aortic hiatus
    Esophageal hiatus
    Caval foramen
    Lateral arcuate ligament
    Medial arcuate ligament
  24. With one exception, preganglionic sympathetic axons synapse upon postganglionic sympathetic dendrites or cell bodies. The exception to this general rule occurs within the:
    Kidney cortex
    Kidney medulla
    Suprarenal medulla
    Suprarenal cortex
  25. The cisterna chyli accompanies which structure as it passes through the diaphragm?
    Inferior vena cava
    Esophagus
    Greater thoracic splanchnic nerve
    Aorta
  26. A 19-year-old male suffers a tear to the psoas major muscle during the course of a football game. A scar, which formed on the medial part of the belly of the muscle, involved an adjacent nerve, immediately medial to the muscle. The nerve is called the:
    femoral
    genitofemoral
    iliohypogastric
    ilioguinal
    obturator
  27. While recovering from an open abdominal hysterectomy (i.e., using a midline abdominal incision to gain entry to the pelvis), a patient realizes that she has lost sensation to the skin of her anterior thigh and cannot extend her knee. Retractors holding the incision open and pressing against the posterior abdominal wall most likely caused injury to which nerve?
    Femoral
    Genitofemoral
    Iliohypogastric
    Lateral femoral cutaneous
    Obturator
  28. In the lumbar region, tuberculosis may spread from the vertebrae into an adjacent muscle to produce an abscess. Pus from the abscess may travel within the fascial sheath surrounding the affected muscle. A patient presents with pus surfacing in the superomedial part of the thigh. To which muscle did the tuberculosis most likely spread?
    Internal oblique
    Obturator internus
    Psoas major
    Quadratus lumborum
    Rectus abdominis
  29. The nerves of the lumbar plexus are arranged around specific muscles of the posterior abdominal wall. Which of these nerves lies immediately medial to the psoas major muscle?
    Femoral
    Genitofemoral
    Ilioinguinal
    Obturator