Bare area of the liver

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)

The liver, as seen from behind. The bare area is visible on the upper-right, labeled as nonperitoneal surface
Details
Identifiers
Latin Area nuda hepatis
Dorlands
/Elsevier
a_59/12151291
FMA 14480

Anatomical terminology

The bare area of the liver (nonperitoneal area) is a large triangular surface of the liver devoid of peritoneal covering.

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 lies 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.

Clinical significance

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.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

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