mesenterio

The mesentery, sometimes referred to as mesenterio in certain languages, is a double layer of peritoneum that attaches the intestines to the posterior abdominal wall. It serves as a conduit for vessels, nerves, and lymphatics that supply and drain the intestines, and it also contains adipose tissue and immune cells. The most prominent example is the mesentery proper, which suspends the jejunum and ileum in a fan-shaped fold that stretches from the posterior abdominal wall toward the intestinal loops.

Anatomically, the mesentery proper forms a root that runs obliquely from the left side of the duodenojejunal junction to the right sacroiliac region. Within its substance run the superior mesenteric vessels, lymphatic vessels, autonomic nerves, and a variable amount of fat. The mesentery also organizes and supports the vascular and neural networks that supply the small intestine, while providing a pathway for immune surveillance and fat storage. In addition to the small-bowel mesentery, mesenteric folds associated with the colon—the transverse, descending, and sigmoid mesenteries—anchor parts of the large intestine.

Developmentally, the mesentery arises from the dorsal and ventral mesenteric sheets that suspend the gut during embryogenesis. It has historically been viewed as multiple discrete structures, but contemporary anatomy recognizes the mesentery as a continuous organ that integrates its components into a single, extensive framework. Clinically, the mesentery is important in conditions such as mesenteric ischemia, mesenteric panniculitis, inflammatory diseases, and during abdominal surgery where careful handling of its vessels and lymphatics is required.