next up previous index Surgical Topics
Next: The fore-gut Up: Pathophysiology of Intestinal Obstruction Previous: Example of Appendicitis   Index

The three guts

When it comes to pain there are three guts, the fore-gut, the mid-gut and the hind-gut.

The division of the gut into these three is based upon the arterial supply of the gut, the coeliac axis, the superior mesenteric artery and the inferior mesenteric artery. As outlined above visceral type pain from the gut is felt in the midline anteriorly. Pain from the fore-gut is felt in the epi-gastrium (epigastric region in the upper abdomen in the midline). Pain from the mid-gut is felt in the periumbilical region and pain from the hind-gut is felt in the hypo-gastrium (hypo-gastric or supra-pubic region in the lower abdomen in the midline). 3



Subsections

Adrian P. Ireland