Blood in the peritoneal cavity from trauma is often first seen in the right paracolic gutter at the inferior tip of the liver.
Right paracolic gutter ultrasound.
Abdominal case of the week cardiac ivc miscellaneous highlights procedure highlights lung ob gyn trauma soft tissue vascular msk.
The main paracolic gutter lies lateral to the colon on each side.
In thin patients relatively small volume of fluid can be found.
Your fast exam is incomplete if you do not visualize this area.
The right lateral paracolic gutter.
The right and left paracolic gutters are peritoneal recesses on the posterior abdominal wall lying alongside the ascending and descending colon.
A less obvious medial paracolic gutter may be formed especially on the right side if the colon possesses a short mesentery for part.
Fluid and fat stranding can be seen extending from the pelvis into the right upper quadrant by way of the paracolic gutter.
The main paracolic gutter lies lateral to the colon on each side.
In this section ultrasound ultrasound education faculty image of the fortnight toggle section.
Fluid may sit within the peritoneal space or paracolic gutters or may be interposed between bowel loops or around solid organs e g.
A less obvious medial paracolic gutter may be formed especially on the right side if the colon possesses a short mesentery for part.
There are two paracolic gutters in a human body.
The right and left paracolic gutters are peritoneal recesses on the posterior abdominal wall lying alongside the ascending and descending colon.
Peritoneal septa and loculated perihepatic fluid may be seen and gallbladder wall thickening may also be depicted fig 14a 14b 40 41.