Organ
Stomach
A muscular reservoir that begins protein digestion
High-yield
Developmental rotation brings the original left surface forward. The anterior vagal trunk is therefore predominantly left-vagal and the posterior trunk right-vagal, with fibers mixed through the esophageal plexus.
Overview
The stomach receives food, mixes it with gastric secretions and releases it gradually into the duodenum. Its distensible wall forms rugae when relatively empty. Longitudinal, circular and oblique muscle fibers contribute to mixing, while peritoneal folds connect its curvatures to neighboring organs.
Reference facts
- Location
- Mostly epigastric and left hypochondriac; cardia near T11 and pylorus often near L1 when supine, with position changing during filling and posture changes.
- Parts
- Cardia, fundus, body and pyloric region; the latter includes antrum, canal and sphincter. The angular notch is on the lesser curvature.
- Blood supply
- Gastric arteries follow the lesser curvature, gastro-omental arteries the greater curvature, and short gastric branches reach the fundus. These belong to the celiac territory.
- Innervation
- Vagal fibers act through enteric neurons to influence secretion and movement. Sympathetic input arrives through the celiac plexus; pain afferents commonly accompany pathways to about T5–T9.
- Venous/Lymphatic drainage
- Veins enter the portal circulation directly or through splenic and superior mesenteric tributaries. Lymph follows gastric vessels toward regional and celiac nodes.
- Relations
- Liver and diaphragm lie anterosuperiorly; the lesser sac separates the posterior wall from the pancreas. Spleen lies leftward and transverse colon below.
- Function
- Provides storage, mixing, acid and pepsin secretion, intrinsic factor production and controlled chyme delivery.
Clinical correlation
Gastric visceral pain is often epigastric. Advanced gastric cancer may involve left supraclavicular nodes, the umbilicus or ovaries; these metastatic patterns also occur with other primary cancers.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the stomach located?
Mostly epigastric and left hypochondriac; cardia near T11 and pylorus often near L1 when supine, with position changing during filling and posture changes.
What does the stomach do?
Provides storage, mixing, acid and pepsin secretion, intrinsic factor production and controlled chyme delivery.
What are the parts of the stomach?
Cardia, fundus, body and pyloric region; the latter includes antrum, canal and sphincter. The angular notch is on the lesser curvature.
What is the blood supply of the stomach?
Gastric arteries follow the lesser curvature, gastro-omental arteries the greater curvature, and short gastric branches reach the fundus. These belong to the celiac territory.