An anatomist’s ramblings on the optic nerve, colour vision & visual decussation.

Terms covered this week: The retina & its rod and cone cells. The optic nerve, optic chiasm & optic tract. Trichromats, dichromats, tetrachromats & achromatopsia.

Let’s discuss the sheets of connective tissue in the abdominal cavity, aka the peritoneum. Let’s explore how the folds of this membrane are called different things depending on how many folds there are, & how these folds form spaces……that us anatomists also name. In addition to the terminology, let's discuss the functions & clinical relevance of all these membranes, to justify knowing them.

Terms covered this week: The peritoneum & the parietal & visceral iterations of this. Peritoneal fluid. The mesentery. The greater & lesser omentum. The greater & lesser sacs. Finally, what on earth is meant by retroperitoneal?

In this episode lend me your ears, to understand your eyes. Let’s cover some basic ophthalmic anatomy in a whistle-stop tour of the anatomy of the eye.

Terms covered this week include the cornea, conjunctiva & sclera.  The iris, pupil, ciliary muscles, suspensory ligaments & the lens. The retina including its rod and cone cells. Finally, the aqueous and vitreous humours fill in the gaps. 

Following the Meninges podcast, this soundbite is dedicated to the anatomy of bleeds inside the skull. 

Terms covered this week include the cerebral arteries & subarachnoid haemorrhages. Cerebral bridging veins & subdural haemorrhages. Meningeal arteries & extra/epidural haemorrhages. 

In this episode, we discuss the three connective tissue layers that surround the brain & spinal cord. 

Terms covered this week are the dura mater, the arachnoid mater & pia mater. The leptomeninges & subarachnoid space. We also discuss meningitis.

Muscles & movements of the hip joint in 5 minutes or less! This is a challenge, but here we aim to provide a broad overview of the hip muscles, the movements of these muscles & their innervation.

Terms covered this week: The movements of the hip, flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, and internal & external rotation. The muscles of the hip: iliacus, psoas major & rectus femoris. Sartorius & pectineus. Gluteus maximus & the hamstrings. Gluteus medius & gluteus minimus. Gracilis & the adductor muscles (longus, brevis & magnus). The six lateral rotators of the hip: obturator internus & externus. Pyriformis, quadratus femoris & gemellus superior & inferior. The superior & inferior gluteal nerves, the sciatic nerve, & the obturator nerve.  

Completing our hernia series, in this episode Sam covers the anatomy of a hiatus hernia. What is it, how does it occur, what are its consequences and how do you treat them? 

Terms covered this week are hiatus hernias (and their types). The oesophageal hiatus of the diaphragm, the oesophageal smooth and striated muscles. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD).   

In this episode let's prise out the anatomy of femoral hernias. What are they, where are they, and how do they differ from last week's topic of inguinal hernias? 

The main terms covered this week are femoral hernias and the femoral canal. The femoral arteries, nerves & veins. The fascia lata of the lower limb and its saphenous opening. 

This week let's explore the muscular canal found in the anterior wall of the lower abdomen, the inguinal canal. During our exploration let's apply this anatomy to a common medical condition, inguinal hernias. How do inguinal hernias occur & what is the difference between a direct & an indirect hernia? 

This week's terms are the anterolateral abdominal muscles (external & internal oblique muscles & the transversus abdominis muscle). The inguinal ligmaent & the deep & superficial inguinal rings. 

This week let's re-enter the nasal cavity & focus our attention on its blood supply. Why does the nose have such a significant blood supply? What vessels contribute to it? And what happens when it breaks? 

The terms covered this week are Little's area or Kiesselbach's plexus & Woodruff's plexus. The blood vessels with the mnemonic L.E.G.S, Labial (Superior), Ethmoids (anterior & posterior), Greater palatine & Sphenopalatine arteries.