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viscus

 
Dictionary: vis·cus   (vĭs'kəs) pronunciation
 
n.

Singular of viscera.


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Pl. viscera [L.] any large interior organ in any of the great body cavities, especially those in the abdomen.

  • hollow v. — tubular as distinct from solid, e.g. intestine.
 
WordNet: viscus
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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: a main organ that is situated inside the body
  Synonym: internal organ


 
Wikipedia: Viscus
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In anatomy, a viscus (pronounced /ˈvɪskəs/) (plural: viscera /ˈvɪsərə/) is an internal organ of an animal (including humans), in particular an internal organ of the thorax or abdomen. The viscera, when removed from a butchered animal, are known collectively as offal. Internal organs are also known as "innards", or less formally, "guts" (which may also refer to the gastrointestinal tract).

The adjective visceral, also splanchnic,[1] is used for anything pertaining to the internal organs. Historically, viscera of animals were examined by Roman pagan priests like the haruspices or the augurs in order to divine the future by their shape, dimensions or other factors. This practice remains an important ritual in some remote, tribal societies.

Contents

Human viscera

Further information: Organs of the human body by region

Abdomen

Pelvis and perineum

Innervation

Autonomic nervous system, showing splanchnic nerves in middle, and the vagus nerve as "X" in blue. The heart and organs below in list to right are regarded as viscera.

The viscera are mainly innervated parasympathetically by the vagus nerve and sympathetically by the splanchnic nerves. The sensory part of the latter reaches the spinal column at certain spinal segments. Pain in any viscera is perceived as referred pain, more specifically pain from the dermatome corresponding to the spinal segment.[2]

Viscus Nerves [3] Origo in spinal column[3]
stomach T6, T7, T8, T9 and, sometimes, T10
Duodenum T5, T6, T7, T8, T9 and, sometimes, T10
pancreatic head T8, T9
jejunum and ileum T5, T6, T7, T8, T9
colon
Spleen T6, T7, T8
vermiform appendix T10
gallbladder and liver T6, T7, T8, T9
kidneys and ureters T11, T12

References

  1. ^ Splanchnic at eMedicine Dictionary
  2. ^ Essential Clinical Anatomy. K.L. Moore & A.M. Agur. Lippincott, 2 ed. 2002. Page 199
  3. ^ a b Unless else specified in boxes, then ref is: Essential Clinical Anatomy. K.L. Moore & A.M. Agur. Lippincott, 2 ed. 2002. Page 199

See also


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Viscus" Read more