US Medical Term · anatomy
Mesentery
Mesenterio
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Mesentery |
| Spanish (Español) | Mesenterio |
| Chinese (中文) | 腸繫膜 |
| Korean (한국어) | 장간막 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Mạc treo ruột |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Mesentery |
| Portuguese (Português) | Mesentério |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | เยื่อหุ้มลำไส้ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 腸間膜 |
What it means
The mesentery is a fold of tissue that connects the small intestine and parts of the large intestine to the back wall of the abdomen. Think of it as the attachment structure that anchors the intestines in place and keeps them from tangling. It carries the blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves that supply the intestines. The mesenteric arteries and veins run through the mesentery to deliver oxygen and carry away blood and nutrients from the bowel. A mesenteric ischemia — reduced blood flow to the intestines through these vessels — is a serious emergency that can cause bowel death. Crohn's disease can also affect the mesentery, causing it to thicken and become inflamed.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
The CT showed inflammation in the mesentery around my small intestine.
La tomografía mostró inflamación en el mesenterio alrededor del intestino delgado.
The surgeon said the lymph nodes in the mesentery were enlarged and sent them for biopsy.
El cirujano dijo que los ganglios linfáticos del mesenterio estaban agrandados y los envió para biopsia.
I had sudden severe abdominal pain and they found a clot in the mesenteric artery blocking blood to my bowel.
Tuve un dolor abdominal repentino e intenso y encontraron un coágulo en la arteria mesentérica que bloqueaba el flujo al intestino.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026