right lower quadrant

Examples of right lower quadrant in the following topics:

• Abdominopelvic Regions

  • The abdominopelvic region can be divided into four quadrants.
  • The right upper quadrant contains the right portion of the liver, the gallbladder, right kidney, a small portion of the stomach, the duodenum, the head of the pancreas, portions of the ascending and transverse colon, and parts of small intestine.
  • In the right lower quadrant sits the cecum, appendix, part of the small intestines, the right half of the female reproductive system, and the right ureter.
  • The left lower quadrant houses the majority of the small intestine, some of the large intestine, the left half of the female reproductive system, and the left ureter.
  • The right iliac region contains the appendix, cecum, and the right iliac fossa.

• Appendicitis

  • Later, as the appendix becomes more inflamed and irritates the adjoining abdominal wall, it tends to localize over several hours into the right lower quadrant, except in children under three years.
  • Also, there is severe pain on sudden release of deep pressure in the lower abdomen (rebound tenderness).
  • In case of a retrocecal appendix (appendix localized behind the cecum), however, even deep pressure in the right lower quadrant may fail to elicit tenderness (silent appendix), the reason being that the cecum, distended with gas, protects the inflamed appendix from the pressure.
  • The occurrence of a fecalith in the appendix seems to be attributed to a right-sided fecal retention reservoir in the colon and a prolonged transit time.
  • This is in accordance with the occurrence of a right-sided fecal reservoir and the fact that dietary fiber reduces transit time.

• Periodontal Disease

  • This section from a panoramic x-ray film depicts the teeth of the lower left quadrant, exhibiting generalized severe bone loss of 30–80%.
  • The pink arrow, on the right, points to a furcation involvement, or the loss of enough bone to reveal the location at which the individual roots of a molar begin to branch from the single root trunk; this is a sign of advanced periodontal disease.

• Anatomy of the Liver and Gallbladder

  • It is located in the right upper quadrant of the abdominal cavity, resting just below the diaphragm.
  • The liver lies to the right of the stomach and overlies the gallbladder .
  • Traditionally, the liver is divided into four lobes: left, right, caudate, and quadrate.

• Pylorospasm and Pyloric Stenosis

  • This hypertrophy is felt classically as an olive-shaped mass in the middle upper part or right upper quadrant of the infant's abdomen.

• Brachial Plexus

  • The brachial plexus is formed by the four lower cervical spinal nerves and the first thoracic spinal nerve.
  • These roots merge to form three trunks: The superior or upper (C5–C6), the middle (C7), and the inferior or lower (C8, T1).
  • Each trunk then splits in two, to form six divisions: The anterior divisions of the upper, middle, and lower trunks and the posterior divisions of the upper, middle, and lower trunks.
  • The medial cord is simply a continuation of the anterior division of the lower trunk (C8, T1).
  • The right brachial plexus with its short branches, viewed from the front.

• Lobes, Fissures, and Lobules

  • The right lung is divided into three lobes.
  • The upper lobe is the largest lobe of the right lung.
  • The lower lobe is the bottom lobe of the right lung.
  • The human left lung is smaller and narrower that the right lung, and is divided into two lobes, an upper and a lower, by the oblique fissure.
  • The lower lobe of the left lung contains superior, anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral bronchopulmonary segments.

• Organization of Motor Neuron Pathways

  • There are upper and lower motor neurons in the corticospinal tract.
  • These axons synapse with lower motor neurons in the ventral horns of all levels of the spinal cord.
  • These axons also synapse with lower motor neurons in the ventral horns.
  • The ventromedial lower motor neurons control the large, postural muscles of the axial skeleton.
  • The pyramidal tract is visible in red, and pyramidal decussation is labeled at lower right.

• Thoracic Aorta

  • Contained within the posterior mediastinal cavity, it begins at the lower border of the fourth thoracic vertebra where it is continuous with the aortic arch, and ends in front of the lower border of the twelfth thoracic vertebra at the aortic hiatus in the diaphragm.
  • The thoracic aorta's relation, from above downward, is as follows: anteriorly with the root of the left lung, the pericardium, the esophagus and the diaphragm; posteriorly with the vertebral column; on the right side with the hemiazygos veins and thoracic duct; and on the left side with the left pleura and lung.
  • The esophagus lies on the right side of the aorta for most of its length, but at the lower part of the thorax is placed in front of the aorta and close to the diaphragm, situated on its left side.
  • The aorta, highlighted in red, includes the thoracic aorta, the section of the aorta which runs from the lower border of the fourth thoracic vertebra to the diaphragm.

• Veins of the Thorax

  • Two venae cavae return deoxygenated blood from the systemic circulation to the right atrium of the heart.
  • The superior vena cava, formed from the left and right brachiocephalic veins, returns deoxygenated blood from the upper half of the body and carries blood from the upper limbs, head, and neck via the thyroid and jugular veins.
  • It is joined just before entering the heart by the azygos vein, which runs up the right side of the thoracic vertebral column and transports blood from the external thoracic cavity.
  • The inferior vena cava returns blood from the abdomen and lower limbs to the right atrium of the heart.