 |
Medical Terminology Daily (MTD) is a blog sponsored by Clinical Anatomy Associates, Inc. as a service to the medical community, medical students, and the medical industry. We post anatomical, medical or surgical terms, their meaning and usage, as well as biographical notes on anatomists, surgeons, and researchers through the ages. Be warned that some of the images used depict human anatomical specimens. Click on the link below to subscribe to the MTD newsletter. If you think an article could be interesting to somebody else, feel free to forward the link of the article. Should you want to use the information on the article, please follow the CAA, Inc Privacy and Security Statement found at the bottom of this page. You are welcome to submit questions and suggestions using our "Contact Us" form. The information on this blog follows the terms on our "Privacy and Security Statement" and cannot be construed as medical guidance or instructions for treatment. |
We have 138 guests online
Self-portrait, Henry Vandyke Carter, MD (Public Domain)
Henry Vandyke Carter, MD
(1831 – 1897)
English physician, surgeon, medical artist, and a pioneer in leprosy and mycetoma studies. HV Carter was born in Yorkshire in 1831. He was the son of Henry Barlow Carter, a well-known artist and it is possible that he honed his natural talents with his father. His mother picked his middle name after a famous painter, Anthony Van Dyck. This is probably why his name is sometimes shown as Henry Van Dyke Carter, although the most common presentation of his middle name is Vandyke.
Having problems to finance his medical studies, HV Carter trained as an apothecary and later as an anatomical demonstrator at St. George’s Hospital in London, where he met Henry Gray (1872-1861), who was at the time the anatomical lecturer. Having seen the quality of HV Carter’s drawings, Henry Gray teamed with him to produce one of the most popular and longer-lived anatomy books in history: “Gray’s Anatomy”, which was first published in late 1857. The book itself, about which many papers have been written, was immediately accepted and praised because of the clarity of the text as well as the incredible drawings of Henry Vandyke Carter.
While working on the book’s drawings, HV Carter continued his studies and received his MD in 1856.
In spite of initially being offered a co-authorship of the book, Dr. Carter was relegated to the position of illustrator by Henry Gray and never saw the royalties that the book could have generated for him. For all his work and dedication, Dr. Carter only received a one-time payment of 150 pounds. Dr. Carter never worked again with Gray, who died of smallpox only a few years later.
Frustrated, Dr. Carter took the exams for the India Medical Service. In 1858 he joined as an Assistant Surgeon and later became a professor of anatomy and physiology. Even later he served as a Civil Surgeon. During his tenure with the India Medical Service he attained the ranks of Surgeon, Surgeon-Major, Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel, and Brigade-Surgeon.
Dr. Carter dedicated the rest of his life to the study of leprosy, and other ailments typical of India at that time. He held several important offices, including that of Dean of the Medical School of the University of Bombay. In 1890, after his retirement, he was appointed Honorary Physician to the Queen.
Dr. Henry Vandyke Carter died of tuberculosis in 1897.
Personal note: Had history been different, this famous book would have been called “Gray and Carter’s Anatomy” and Dr. Carter never gone to India. His legacy is still seen in the images of the thousands of copies of “Gray’s Anatomy” throughout the world and the many reproductions of his work available on the Internet. We are proud to use some of his images in this blog. The image accompanying this article is a self-portrait of Dr. Carter. Click on the image for a larger depiction. Dr. Miranda
Sources:
1. “Obituary: Henry Vandyke Carter” Br Med J (1897);1:1256-7
2. “The Anatomist: A True Story of ‘Gray’s Anatomy” Hayes W. (2007) USA: Ballantine
3. “A Glimpse of Our Past: Henry Gray’s Anatomy” Pearce, JMS. J Clin Anat (2009) 22:291–295
4. “Henry Gray and Henry Vandyke Carter: Creators of a famous textbook” Roberts S. J Med Biogr (2000) 8:206–212.
5. “Henry Vandyke Carter and his meritorious works in India” Tappa, DM et al. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol (2011) 77:101-3
"Clinical Anatomy Associates, Inc., and the contributors of "Medical Terminology Daily" wish to thank all individuals who donate their bodies and tissues for the advancement of education and research”.
Click here for more information
Abdominal Regions
|
UPDATED: In surface anatomy the abdomen can be divided into nine regions by named lines (or planes): transpyloric, transtubercular, and midclavicular. These regions have specific visceral content. • Hypochondriac regions (right and left): [Hypo]="below"; [chondr]="cartilage"; [iac]=”pertaining to”. In this context, the term means “below or deep to the cartilage (of the ribs)". The right hypochondriac region contains the liver, gallbladder, portal vein, and the right colic flexure. The left hypochondriac region contains the stomach, spleen, tail of the pancreas, and left colic flexure. For a detail on how the name of this region relates to a mental disorder, click here. • Epigastric region: [Epi]="above"; [gastr]="stomach”; [ic]=”pertaining to". The term means “above the stomach”. This region contains mostly stomach and abdominal esophagus • Lumbar regions (right and left): Right and left lumbar regions. The term [lumbar] refers to the area of the loins. The right lumbar region contains the ascending colon and part of the right kidney. The left lumbar region contains the descending colon and part of the left kidney • Umbilical region: Centered around the umbilicus, this region contains mostly small intestine, abdominal aorta, and greater omentum |
|
| • Inguinal regions (right and left): From the Latin [inguen]=”groin". Gaius Plinius Secundus aka “Pliny” (23-79 AD) first used this term naming after a plant (inguinalis) which he used to treat hernias of the groin. The right inguinal region contains the cecum and small intestine. The left inguinal region contains the sigmoid colon. In older days, as shown in the sketch, these regions were called the "iliac regions".
• Hypogastric region: [Hypo]="below"; [gastr]="stomach”; “ic”=”pertaining to. The term means “below the stomach”. The hypogastric region contains mostly small intestine and greater omentum. This region used to be called the "pubic region" A clinical importance of these abdominal regions is that a ventral hernia is usually named by the anatomical region where it protrudes. Based on the image, you will see then why a hernia can be umbilical, inguinal, lumbar, epigastric, or hypogastric. Sources: |
|
Phrenoesophageal ligament
|
UPDATED: The [phrenoesophageal ligament] or phrenoesophageal membrane is part of a complex system that closes off the esophageal hiatus, one of the seven hiatuses in the respiratory diaphragm, preventing the herniation of abdominal structures into the thoracic mediastinum. The connective tissue layer called the endoabdominopelvic fascia, which lines the inner aspect of the abdominopelvic cavity, is found as a "glue" between the respiratory diaphragm and the parietal peritoneum. At this point the endoabdominopelvic fascia is called the "infradiaphragmatic fascia". When the infradiaphragmatic fasia gets to the edge of the esophageal hiatus, it splits into ascending and a descending components or limbs. These are the superior and inferior phrenoesophageal ligaments or phrenoesophageal membranes. These phrenoesophageal ligaments create a circular disc-like plug between the abdomen and the thorax. This "plug" is reinforced by a infradiaphragmatic fat pad found internal to the phrenoesophageal ligament. The phrenoesophageal ligaments are reinforced externally. On their thoracic aspect by the endothoracic fascia, and on the abdominal side, by parietal peritoneum. |
 Images property of:CAA.Inc. Artist:Dr. E. Miranda |
| The ascending limb fuses superiorly with the esophageal fascia, which lines the external aspect of the longitudinal muscle of the esophagus, as the thoracic esophagus does not have a serosa layer. The descending limb fuses inferiorly with the esophageal fascial covering of the longitudinal ligament as it is covered by the peritoneum . Failure of the phrenoesophageal ligaments can predispose to esophageal hiatus hernia. | |
2018 AACA Meeting
|
The following article is embedded from our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CAAInc. This year the 2018 meeting of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists is being held in Atlanta, GA., at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead Hotel and Conference Center. The program is full of interesting topics and is already a hit with all the attendees. Looking forward to the program.
|
|
Esophageal hiatus hernia
|
UPDATED: An esophageal hiatus hernia (also known as a hiatal hernia) is caused by a dilation of the esophageal hiatus and its component structures, the phrenoesophageal membranes (ligaments). Since the intraabdominal pressure is higher than the intrathoracic pressure, abdominal contents -usually stomach and greater omentum- can herniate through the dilated esophageal hiatus into the mediastinum, the central region of the thoracic cavity. This presents as a hernia sac whose walls are formed by endothoracic fascia, phrenoesophageal membranes and parietal peritoneum. There are two main types of esophageal hiatus hernias. Type I is known as a "sliding hiatal hernia" and is characterized by a complete ascension of the esophagogastric junction and abdominal esophagus into the thoracic hernia sac. This is usually accompanied by a typical "hourglass image" in a radiographic assessment, and also presents with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Type I esophageal hiatus hernias are more common. Type II esophageal hiatus hernia is known as a "paraesophageal hernia" and represent about 5 - 15% of esophageal hiatus hernias. In this case, the esophagogastric junction maintains its anatomical position inferior to the respiratory diaphragm, but the fundus and body of the stomach, along with some greater omentum herniate alongside the esophagus into the mediastinal region of the thoracic cavity. Although there can be GERD, this type of hernia usually presents with little symptomatology, and when it does, symptoms are related to ischemia or partial to complete obstruction. There are variations of type II hernia, which are classified as Type III and IV. Type IV, although rare, will include other viscera in the hernia sac, including colon, spleen, or even small intestine |
Images property of: CAA.Inc. |
| The accompanying images above depict a Type I esophageal hiatus hernia. The superior image shows the hernia in situ where the stomach and greater omentum are still in the hernia sac. The inferior image shows the contents reduced and the abdominal esophagus being pulled into the abdominal cavity. The dotted line shows the dilated esophageal hiatus that needs to be repaired to prevent recurrence of the pathology.
The image below answers a question by Victoria Guy Ratcliffe, who asked via Facebook "What would it be if it feels like you've got a blockage right at the level of the heart? That's too high for a hiatal hernia, isn't it? " The image answers the question. It shows a dissection of the left side of the thorax. The anterior thoracic wall and the left lung have been removed. The heart is immediately superior and anterior to the esophageal hiatus, and the hernia sac of a Type I esophageal hiatus hernia is seen immediately posterior and in contact with the heart. Whether this means that you will "feel" the hernia, it is up for debate, as all these structures have visceral innervation. Most probably, a well-developed Type II esophageal hiatus hernia might interfere with swallowing at this level, causing the sensation she mentions. Thanks for the question, Tori.
For additional information: "Approaches to the Diagnosis and Grading of Hiatal Hernia" Kahrilas et al Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2008 ; 22(4): 601–616. |
|
The seven hiatuses (openings) of the respiratory diaphragm
|
The term [hiatus] derives from the Latin word [hiare], meaning to "gape" or to "yawn". In human anatomy this term is used to mean an "opening" or a "defect". It must be pointed out that in anatomy (and surgery) the term "defect" does not necessarily mean "defective". In most cases a "defect" is a normal opening in a structure, such as the esophageal hiatus. The plural form is either [hiatus] or [hiatuses]. In the case of the respiratory diaphragm, there are seven such openings, seven normal hiatuses. On top of this, you can find an abnormal opening caused by incomplete congenital closure of the dome of the diaphragm, a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), also known as Bochdalek's hernia, found in the posterior aspect of the respiratory diaphragm. The seven hiatuses of the respiratory diaphragm are: • Aortic hiatus • Inferior vena cava hiatus |
 Images and links courtesy of Bartleby.com |
| • Hiatuses (2) for the superior epigastric vessels, which are the inferior continuation of the internal thoracic (mammary) vessels. Also known as the hiatuses of Morgagni. A hernia in a newborn through this hiatus is also considered a CDH.
• Hiatuses (2) for the splanchnic nerves Based on the above it is wrong (maybe not wrong, but incomplete) to say that a patient has a "hiatal hernia", as the term does not include which hiatus is involved. In fact the hernia of Morgagni is also a "hiatal hernia" as the hernia passes through a normal defect in the respiratory diaphragm. Come to think of it, it could also be a hernia in a hiatus somewhere else in the body, such as a hernia of Schwalbe, a type or pelvic diaphragm hernia.Note: Thanks to DHREAMS of the Columbia University Medical Center for the link on CDH. |
|
Esophageal hiatus
|
UPDATED: The esophageal hiatus is one of the seven hiatuses found in the respiratory diaphragm allowing passage of structures between the thorax and abdomen. As it name implies, the esophageal hiatus is the passageway for the esophagus. It also allows passage of the anterior and posterior vagus nerves, (CN X). The hiatus is bound by two muscular crura, both of which arise from the right tendinous aortic crus. Since the intraabdominal pressure is higher than the intrathoracic pressure, there is a series of structures at the phrenoesophagogastric junction to close the esophageal hiatus. The infradiaphragmatic parietal peritoneum reflects off the diaphragm towards the stomach to form its serosa layer (visceral peritoneum). At the same time the infradiaphragmatic fascia, also known as the endoabdominopelvic fascia, splits into two components or limbs. These are the superior and inferior phrenoesophageal ligaments or phrenoesophageal membranes. (the root [-phren-] means "diaphragm"). These phrenoesophageal ligaments create a disc-like plug between the abdomen and the thorax. This "plug" is reinforced by a circular infradiaphragmatic fat pad. The phrenoesophageal ligaments are reinforced on their thoracic aspect by the endothoracic fascia. |
Images property of: CAA.Inc. Artist: Dr. E. Miranda |
| The lower esophagus has a dilation (evident in the image) called the "esophageal ampulla", in relation to this dilation the circular muscle layer of the esophagus slightly thickens creating the so-called "lower esophageal sphincter". This area is not a true anatomical sphincter, but rather is a functional sphincter.
The esophagogastric mucosal junction shows a marked transition in the shape of a wavy line. This is called the Z-line or the ora serrata. Extensions of the gastric mucosa and submucosa inferior to the ora serrata create a valve-like flap called the "gastroesophageal flap valve". When viewing this mucosal flap through and endoscope, it looks corrugated and flower-like, hence it is also called the "rosette". The congenital or pathological dilation of the esophageal hiatus can predispose to esophageal hiatus hernia. |
|
Page 11 of 128