TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Peritoneal Cavity A1 - Brady, Matthew A1 - Mahoney, Eric A2 - Doherty, Gerard M. PY - 2015 T2 - CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment: Surgery, 14e AB - The peritoneum is the thin serous membrane that lines the peritoneal cavity. It is the largest serous surface layer in the human body and its surface area is similar to the skin. The structure is made up of a single, flat, layer of mesothelial cells, rich in microvilli. Beneath the mesothelium are a basement membrane and a loose collagen network containing vascularized connective tissue with scattered fibroblasts and macrophages. Normally there is between 5 and 20 mL of free peritoneal fluid, this can vary in women, peaking after ovulation. Normal peritoneal fluid has a specific gravity less than 1.016, protein concentration less than 3g/dL, pH between 7.5 and 8, and a white blood cell count less than 3000/μL. The peritoneum is divided anatomically into parietal and visceral components. The parietal peritoneum underlies the anterior, later, and posterior abdominal walls as well as the undersurface of the diaphragm and pelvic basin. The visceral peritoneum is reflected over the viscera within the abdominal cavity. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/10/11 UR - accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1105488250 ER -