the.com/peritoneal cavity
The body's internal cling-film wrapping, so organs can slide instead of grind.
means The thin, fluid-lubricated space between the two layers of the peritoneum — the membrane lining the abdominal wall and draping the organs within it.
from From Greek 'peritonaion' — 'peri-' (around) plus 'teinein' (to stretch) — literally 'that which is stretched around.' The Greeks were describing exactly what dissection showed them: a membrane pulled taut around the belly's contents, named plainly for what it does rather than what it looks like.
- actual space
- Just a thin film of fluid, not empty room
- fluid volume
- Normally under 50 milliliters, like a shot glass
- surgical access
- Laparoscopy enters here through tiny keyhole cuts
- bad news sign
- Fluid buildup here means ascites, often liver trouble