| Bare area of the liver | |
|---|---|
| Vertical disposition of the peritoneum. Main cavity, red; omental bursa, blue. (Bare area of the liver labeled at right, second from the top.) | |
| Latin | area nuda hepatis |
| Gray's | subject #246 1150 |
The coronary ligaments represent reflections of the visceral peritoneum covering the liver onto the diaphragm. As such, between the two layers of the coronary ligament there is a large triangular surface of the liver devoid of peritoneal covering; this is named the bare area of the liver, and is attached to the diaphragm by areolar tissue.
The bare area of the liver is still covered by Glisson's capsule, the fibrous capsule that sheathes the entire liver.
The bare area of the liver is clinically important because it represents a site where infection can spread from the abdominal cavity to the thoracic cavity.
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.