We usually have a collection of cross-sections. If your main aim is to showcase the mesentery perhaps suspending the small intestine above the abdominal cavity, with a series of loops around the intestine with fishing line, then tied off on a grate above the cadaver. That way you create space to photograph the mesentery as well as retro and intra peritoneal with rectum, sigmoind, transverse colon etc. That's one way to use an already dissected cadaver with the normal dissection protocol.

Hi Steven,

Thanks for your reply! At the stage I'm at, I'm looking to photograph the parietal peritoneum of an un-dissected (abdominal muscles removed) cadaver. The goal is to demonstrate the 'bubble-like' shape of the peritoneum from an anterior aspect, as that is how our students will approach the donor. However, I will definitely heed your advice once inside the abdomen!

Sean

Hi Sean

I wouldn't go for a direct anterior shot then, perhaps an anterior view, facing superiourly. My understanding is you want to photograph the thick fibrous outer membrane. To accentuate it you could always inject the embalming fluid into the cavity from the posterior, through the back muscles into the abdominal cavity, so it doesn't leak out.

For fun sake you could always then turn off the lights and take a lateral shot and experiment with a torch on the opposing side. (if obliques are removed too) Wouldn't mind seeing what that comes up with, because it definitely is thin enough.

I have found the main problem is the students battling to understand that the lining is continuous within any body cavity. Understanding every cavity has a visceral and parietal layer of membranes, with the peritoneum being unique in that the mesentery are 2 fused layers.

Have the whole abdominal cavity directly beneath you exposed, with the abdominal wall flaps reflected posteriorly. 1. Elevate the diaphragm and place a large arrow drawn on a piece of white cardboard into the supradiaphragmatic space. Widen the space with transparent pieces of persepx in a few places. Take a few pictures to expose the space. Remove Perspex etc. 2. Elevate the liver towards the right upper quadrant to expose the hepatoduodenal ligament. Place a large Perspex to maintain it in this position. Retract the stomach and transverse colon downward to show the first part of the duodenum. Ask an assistant to hold it down. Place a smaller cardboard arrow into the epiploic foramen. Take a picture. Explain that this is the foramen that leads from the greater sac (point out) and the lesser sac which lies behind the stomach. Make a window into the lesser omentum and show with an arrow that it leads into the lesser sac. Lift up the greater omentum. Separate the two fused layers somewhere and show that it too communicates with the lesser sac, and that it is in fact a continuation of the lesser sac, the inferior recess of the lesser sac. 3. Elevate the greater omentum. Take a photograph of it from above and from below showing the supracolic compartment (of the lesser sac) and the infracolic compartment (of the greater sac. Replace. Retract the left and right ascending and descending colons to demonstrate the paracolic gutters. Photograph them. Show how these parts are covered only on three sides by peritoneum. Replace. 5. Elevate transverse colon and greater omentum and draw upward over the liver and diaphragm. Colleague to assist and hold it in place. Gather all small bowel into a large plastic bag, and orientate the mesentery so that it lies obliquely from the LUQ to the RIF. Elevate so that both sides of the mesentery is visible. Take a photograph of the attachment of the SB close to the posterior abdominal wall (lined by peritoneum - show in a photograph) on both sides. Demonstrate how this peritoneum almost completely enfolds the SB, including the its mesentery, and how it reflects off the posterior abdominal wall lined by peritoneum. Also show that on either side the peritoneum continues over the ascending and descending colon on either side. 6.Displace the SB upwards, and assistant to hold it up toward the head. 7. Hold the sigmoid colon up and photograph it's very mobile mesentery (not always so). While holding it up, place an arrow passing down from either iliac fossae into the pelvis. Photograph from above. Lastly, holding the sigmoid colon back, photograph the pelvis obliquely from above and show the pelvic peritoneum folding over the pelvic organs. Demonstrate the male and female organs and the rectum and bladder separately.

Hope that helps...