Splenic flexure

Splenic flexure
File:Illu colorectal anatomy.jpg Colorectal anatomy (the splenic flexure is labeled at upper right).
Front of abdomen, showing surface markings for liver, stomach, duodenum, pancreas, colon (the left colic flexure is labeled at upper right).
Details
Latin	Flexura coli sinistra, flexura splenica
Precursor	Hindgut
Identifiers
TA
TH	{{#property:P1694}}
TE	{{#property:P1693}}
FMA	{{#property:P1402}}
Anatomical terminology [[[d:|edit on Wikidata]]]

The splenic (or left colic) flexure is a sharp bend between the transverse and the descending colon in the left upper quadrant of humans. The left colic flexure is near the spleen, and hence called the splenic flexure. There are two colic flexures in the transverse colon — the other being the hepatic flexure, as it is next to the liver, in the right upper quadrant. The splenic flexure is a watershed region as it receives dual blood supply from the terminal branches of the superior mesenteric artery and the inferior mesenteric artery, thus making it prone to ischemic damage in cases of low blood pressure because it does not have its own primary source of blood. In the context of ischemia, the splenic flexure is sometimes referred to as Griffith's point, along with the upper rectum (Sudak's point).

Additional images

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  Intestines

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  Double Contrast Barium Enema - Using Positive and Negative Contrast

See also

Splenic flexure syndrome

External links

• Anatomy image: ThoraxF03-20 at the College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University
• Anatomy photo:37:13-0203 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center