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The descending colon
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
The descending colon (colon descendens) begins at the left flexure of the colon and passes into the sigmoid colon at the level of the iliac crest of the ilium. The length of the descending colon is on average 23 cm (from 10 to 30 cm). The descending colon is located in the left part of the abdominal cavity. The posterior surface of the colon is adjacent to the quadratus lumborum muscle, the lower pole of the left kidney. The anterior surface of the descending colon is in contact with the anterior abdominal wall. To the right of the colon are the loops of the jejunum, to the left is the left abdominal wall. The peritoneum covers the descending colon from the front and from the sides (mesoperitoneal position).
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