I promised you earlier a photo of the mesentery. Here it is! Greek - mésos middle Greek - énteron intestine Latin - mesenterium English – mesentery The mesentery is the membrane which attaches the small intestine to the back wall of the abdominal cavity. The intestinal attachment is as long as the intestine (11 feet / 330 cm.) while the attachment to the back wall of the abdominal cavity is 5 – 6 inches / 12 to 15 cm. long. The mesentery is thus quite pleated/folded. From the back wall of the abdomen to the intestine is a distance of about 8 inches / 20 cm.. This allows the surgeon to hang the intestine out of the abdominal cavity in order to access structures in the back wall of the abdomen. For sterility’s sake, the intestine is often placed in a plastic bag before being hung over the patient’s side. The width of the mesentery means the intestine dangles from the back wall of the abdomen if the belly is cut open, and reaches only as far down as the pubic bones or crotch if standing. The mesentery contains blood vessels to/from the intestine, nerves regulating the intestine’s functioning and lymph vessels and nodes (part of the body’s defense system). There are a few lymph nodes visible (grey-white, one is above the number 20) in the photo. The mesentery also prevents the intestine from making knots on itself, which would be fatal (vascular strangulation and intestinal obstruction). And, yes, those are my dirty little fingers in the photograph! ENJOY! No medical genre yet. No nudity - yes, nude insides, but no outside nudity visible. No violence - already dissected. No language - intestines gurgle, they don't talk dirty!