Lesser Omentum, Posterior View

Description

Posterior to the left lobe of the liver, the lesser omentum (lesser epiploon) spans from the porta hepatis and fissure for the ligamentum venosum to the lesser curvature of the stomach and proximal duodenum, forming the anterior wall of the omental bursa (lesser sac). Along its thickened right free margin, the hepatoduodenal ligament encloses the portal triad, with the common bile duct positioned anterolateral, the proper hepatic artery anteromedial, and the portal vein posterior. Superiorly the peritoneal fold blends with the visceral peritoneum of the liver, while inferiorly it continues onto the gastric wall where it relates to the left and right gastric vessels running along the lesser curvature. The epiploic foramen (of Winslow) sits just posterior to the hepatoduodenal ligament. A tight space. This posterior perspective matters because it clarifies the boundaries of the lesser sac and the surgical corridor behind the stomach used in approaches to the pancreas and posterior gastric wall. In a Pringle maneuver, a clamp or manual compression applied to the hepatoduodenal ligament occludes inflow via the hepatic artery proper and portal vein, controlling hemorrhage in hepatic trauma or during hepatectomy, while leaving hepatic venous outflow untouched. It also anchors teaching around internal hernias through the epiploic foramen and how bile duct, hepatic artery, and portal vein injuries can occur during cholecystectomy or lymphadenectomy near the porta hepatis. Use this plate for gross anatomy and surgical anatomy modules on peritoneal reflections, the lesser sac, and the lesser versus greater omentum, and for hepatobiliary or upper GI chapters that need a clean depiction of the portal triad relationships. It also fits operative guides for hepatic inflow control, open and laparoscopic, and radiology correlations when explaining why fluid or abscess can track into the omental bursa. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.