Vol 63, No 2 (2004)
Original article
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2004-03-12
Development of the descending colon during the human foetal period
Gworys B, Domagała Z, Markocka-Mączka K
Folia Morphol 2004;63(2):173-178.
Vol 63, No 2 (2004)
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2004-03-12
Abstract
The growth, changes in shape, topography and relation to the peritoneum of
the descending colon were assessed on the basis of material taken from 178
foetuses of both sexes, aged from 72 to 236 days of pregnancy. The statistical
analysis method demonstrated that the descending colon growth process occurs
about a month earlier in female foetuses as compared to male ones. From
the statistical point of view, the longitudinal growth of the descending colon
significantly slows down in the 7th and 8th months of pregnancy, while the
width of this part of the large intestine increases sharply towards the end of the
foetal development period. The statistically important process of the descending
colon rising over the surface of the left kidney and adrenal gland was noticed
in male foetuses. This occurs approximately one month earlier in female
foetuses as compared to males. The ascent of this part of the colon is accompanied
by a change in its shape from straight, to curved and, finally, to wavy in the
oldest age group of male foetuses. The changes in relation to the peritoneum
are manifest in a gradual change in the position of this section of the intestine
from the intraperitoneal, where more than 40% of the cases examined had a fully
movable mesentery, to the extraperitoneal, with 14% of foetuses having a mesentery
in the 8th month of pregnancy.
Abstract
The growth, changes in shape, topography and relation to the peritoneum of
the descending colon were assessed on the basis of material taken from 178
foetuses of both sexes, aged from 72 to 236 days of pregnancy. The statistical
analysis method demonstrated that the descending colon growth process occurs
about a month earlier in female foetuses as compared to male ones. From
the statistical point of view, the longitudinal growth of the descending colon
significantly slows down in the 7th and 8th months of pregnancy, while the
width of this part of the large intestine increases sharply towards the end of the
foetal development period. The statistically important process of the descending
colon rising over the surface of the left kidney and adrenal gland was noticed
in male foetuses. This occurs approximately one month earlier in female
foetuses as compared to males. The ascent of this part of the colon is accompanied
by a change in its shape from straight, to curved and, finally, to wavy in the
oldest age group of male foetuses. The changes in relation to the peritoneum
are manifest in a gradual change in the position of this section of the intestine
from the intraperitoneal, where more than 40% of the cases examined had a fully
movable mesentery, to the extraperitoneal, with 14% of foetuses having a mesentery
in the 8th month of pregnancy.
Keywords
foetal stage; descending colon variations; morphology
Title
Development of the descending colon during the human foetal period
Journal
Folia Morphologica
Issue
Vol 63, No 2 (2004)
Article type
Original article
Pages
173-178
Published online
2004-03-12
Page views
462
Article views/downloads
1300
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2004;63(2):173-178.
Keywords
foetal stage
descending colon variations
morphology
Authors
Gworys B
Domagała Z
Markocka-Mączka K
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