Abstract
Familiarity with the anatomy of the abdomen is required in order to be able to carry out an abdominal examination properly. The abdominal organs can be categorised in terms of location (e.g. intra-abdominal, retroperitoneal or infraperitoneal), and the patterns of symptoms will differ accordingly. The abdomen is divided into four quadrants or nine regions, to which the abnormalities found from physical examination can be assigned. We also discuss the anatomy of the liver, spleen, kidneys and bladder, the intestines, and the arterial and venous blood supply. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the anatomy of the groin, anus and rectum, but this is not exhaustive, given the purpose of this book. If you require in-depth information about the anatomy of the abdomen, we would refer you to anatomy textbooks.