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Viscus

Viscus

In anatomy, a viscus (IPAEng|ˈvɪskəs) (plural: "viscera" IPA|/ˈvɪsərə/) is an internal organ of an animal (including humans), in particular an internal organ of the thorax or abdomen. The viscera, when removed from a butchered animal, are known collectively as offal. Internal organs are also known as "innards", or less formally, "guts" (which may also refer to the gastrointestinal tract).

The adjective "visceral" is used for anything pertaining to the internal organs. Historically, viscera of animals were examined by Roman pagan priests like the haruspices or the augurs in order to divine the future by their shape, dimensions or other factors.

Human viscera

:"Further information: Organs of the human body by region"

Abdomen

* peritoneum
* stomach
* duodenum
* intestine
* colon
* liver
* spleen
* pancreas
* kidney
* adrenal gland
* appendix
* gall bladder

Pelvis and perineum

* pelvis
* coccyx
* ovaries
* Fallopian tube
* uterus
* vulva
* clitoris
* perineum
* urinary bladder
* testicles
* rectum

Innervation

The viscera are mainly innervated parasympathetically by the vagus nerve and sympathetically by the splanchnic nerves. The sensory part of the latter reaches the spinal column at certain spinal segments. Pain in any viscera is perceived as referred pain, more specifically pain from the dermatome (anatomy) corresponding to the spinal segment. Essential Clinical Anatomy. K.L. Moore & A.M. Agur. Lippincott, 2 ed. 2002. Page 199 ]

References

ee also

*Anatomical terms of location
*Visceroptosis

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Viscus — Vis cus, n.; pl. {Viscera}. [L., perhaps akin to E. viscid.] (Anat.) One of the organs, as the brain, heart, or stomach, in the great cavities of the body of an animal; especially used in the plural, and applied to the organs contained in the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • viscus — [vis′kəs] n. [L] sing. of VISCERA …   English World dictionary

  • Viscus — viduriai statusas T sritis gyvūnų anatomija, gyvūnų morfologija atitikmenys: lot. Viscus ryšiai: platesnis terminas – pagrindiniai terminai …   Veterinarinės anatomijos, histologijos ir embriologijos terminai

  • viscus — noun (plural viscera) Etymology: Latin (plural viscera) Date: 1651 1. an internal organ of the body; especially one (as the heart, liver, or intestine) located in the great cavity of the trunk proper 2. plural heart 4 …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • viscus — /vis keuhs/, n. sing. of viscera. * * * …   Universalium

  • viscus — noun a) One of the organs, as the brain, heart, or stomach, in the great cavities of the body of an animal; especially used in the plural, and applied to the organs contained in the abdomen. b) Specifically, the intestines …   Wiktionary

  • viscus — An organ of the digestive, respiratory, urogenital, and endocrine systems as well as the spleen, the heart, and great vessels; hollow and multilayered walled organs studied in splanchnology. [L. the soft parts, internal organs] * * * vis·cus vis… …   Medical dictionary

  • viscus — viscous …   American English homophones

  • viscus — n. any of the internal organs of the body (especially in the abdominal cavity, i.e. the intestines) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • viscus — [ vɪskəs] singular form of viscera. Origin from L …   English new terms dictionary