Vishy Mahadevan

Anatomy of the rectum and anal canal

Abstract Diseases of the rectum and anal canal, both benign and malignant, account for a very large part of colorectal surgical practice in the UK. This article emphasizes the surgically relevant aspects of the anatomy of the rectum and anal canal.

Essential Anatomy of the Abdominal Wall

The anatomy of the abdominal wall has been well documented in several standard anatomical reference texts. Detailed information is readily available from these sources. The lined drawings in this chapter have been adapted from a small selection of publications in the anatomical and surgical literature, with particular emphasis being made in these illustrations, to applied surgical anatomy and surgically significant anatomical variations and anomalies.

Radiological anatomy of the abdomen

Abstract Advances in technology have led to significant developments in techniques for imaging the abdominal and pelvic organs, in both the elective and emergency surgical settings. Improvements in the quality and availability of imaging has had a profound effect on the delivery of high-quality surgical care and has improved outcomes by providing accurate preoperative diagnosis and staging, leading to a reduction in exploratory and futile operations, while permitting better planned precision surgery and a growing range of interventional radiology interventions. This article will describe the essential anatomical interpretation of the common radiological imaging techniques relevant to the abdomen and pelvis and describe the rationale for selection of the most appropriate imaging modality.