DESCRIPTION:

Liver is one of the most important organs of human body that occupies most of the right hypochondrium. There are a number of supports that keep liver fixed in its position. One of those supports is the coronary ligament of liver. This ligament is actually formed by peritonium (fluid filled covering that encloses the organs of abdomen). This peritoneal reflection covers the convexity of liver to the concavity of diaphragm. However, an area of liver remains uncovered. This area is called the bare area of liver.

LAYERS OF CORONARY LIGAMENT:

Coronary ligament has got two layers: the frontal layer (anterior layer) and back layer (posterior layer). Both these layers are actually formed due to the orientation of peritonium as it reflects over the liver.

The anterior layer of the coronary ligament covers the area from the upper limit of bare area of liver and the undersurface of diaphragm.

The posterior layer of the coronary ligament starts from the lower limit of bare area of liver and becomes continuous by fusing with the right layer of lesser omentum (another peritoneal reflection).

These layers fuse with each other at different points to give rise to different ligaments. These ligaments include:

• Anterior and posterior layers meet at the right side of the liver to form the right triangular ligament.

• Anterior and posterior layers meet at the left side of the liver to form the left triangular ligament.

• Anterior layer of the coronary ligament is further divided into right and left sides by the falciform ligament. Falciform ligament (derivative of embryonic ventral mesentery) contains the round ligament of liver (remnant of fetal umbilical vein that involutes at the time of birth).