MESENTERY – A NEW OR ALREADY KNOWN HUMAN ORGAN

Abstract

The mesentery is a double fold of peritoneal tissue that suspends the small intestine and large intestine from the posterior abdominal wall. It was previously thought to be a collection of discrete structures, however, recent research has found the mesentery to be one contiguous structure which has led to proposals for its reclassification as an organ. The mesentery has a crucial role in the intestinal, vascular, immune and endocrine systems, but it is not certain until now whether it should be considered as a part. Its effects are being studied at molecular levels and have yet to be detailed. With this study, we aim to present the available research on the status of the mesentery according to the “Gray’s Anatomy” classification system by using a statistic from a range of articles regarding the topic. Our research will delegate the information by publication date, original papers, and literature reviews on the mesentery. Recent evidence on the anatomy, histology and physiology of the mesentery, show that this structure is more complex than a simple peritoneal tissue. These results urge for a new conceptualization of the mesentery and accentuate the need for further research in terms of the clinical significance.

Keywords

• mesentery
• peritoneal tissue
• fascia
• research