Left Paracolic Gutter Nodule

Paracolic gutters refer to open areas between the wall of the abdomen and the colon.

Left paracolic gutter nodule.

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. The main paracolic gutter lies lateral to the colon on each side. 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. 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.

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 right paracolic gutter is continuous with the perisplenic space or area around the spleen. The right and left paracolic gutters are peritoneal recesses on the posterior abdominal wall lying alongside the ascending and descending colon. Completion of the circulatory pathway takes place caudally by redirection of fluid into the pelvis through the inframesocolic compartment13 fig.

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. 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.