Left Paracolic Gutter Nodule

The left lateral paracolic gutter is on the left side of the abdominal cavity between the outer wall of the descending colon and posterior abdominal wall.

Left paracolic gutter nodule.

The left medial paracolic gutter. Consequently the majority of fluid flows into the right paracolic gutter. Completion of the circulatory pathway takes place caudally by redirection of fluid into the pelvis through the inframesocolic compartment13 fig. A less obvious medial paracolic gutter may be formed especially on the right side if the colon possesses a short mesentery for part of its length.

As the left paracolic gutter is shallow and discontinuous with left subdiaphragmatic space at the phrenicocolic ligament most of the fluid takes path through the right paracolic gutter. Paracolic gutters refer to open areas between the wall of the abdomen and the colon. The left gutter runs between the descending colon and the abdominal wall and just like the right gutter empties into the lower abdomen and pelvic area. The left paracolic gutter is shallow and is limited superiorly by the phrenicocolic ligament which extends from the splenic flexure of the colon to the diaphragm 10.

The right paracolic gutter is continuous with the perisplenic space or area around the spleen. Similar to its right counterpart the paracolic gutter originates from the left hepatic flexure or the meet point of the transverse and descending colon and runs downward to empty into the pelvic region or abdominal wall.