Ligament of Treitz

Suspensory muscle of duodenum
The duodenum. The suspensory muscle of the duodenum attaches to the duodenojejunal flexure, shown.
The duodenum and jejunum depicted in vivo. The suspensory muscle of the duodenum connects to the duodenojejunal flexure, behind the pancreas, shown.
Details
System	Gastrointestinal
Origin	Connective tissue surrounding coeliac artery and superior mesenteric artery
Insertion	Third and fourth-parts of duodenum, duodenojejunal flexure
Nerve	Coeliac plexus, Superior mesenteric plexus
Actions	Facilitates movement of food; embryological role in fixating jejunum during gut rotation
Identifiers
Latin	Musculus suspensorius duodeni, ligamentum suspensorium duodeni
TA	A05.6.02.011
FMA	20509
Anatomical terms of muscle []

The suspensory muscle of duodenum is a thin muscle connecting the junction between the duodenum, jejunum, and duodenojejunal flexure to connective tissue surrounding the superior mesenteric artery and coeliac artery. It is also known as the ligament of Treitz. The suspensory muscle most often connects to both the third and fourth parts of the duodenum, as well as the duodenojejunal flexure, although the attachment is quite variable.

The suspensory muscle marks the formal division between the first and second parts of the small intestine, the duodenum and the jejunum. This division is used to mark the difference between the upper and lower gastrointestinal tracts, which is relevant in clinical medicine as it may determine the source of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.

The suspensory muscle is derived from mesoderm and plays a role in the embryological rotation of the gut, by offering a point of fixation for the rotating gut. It is also thought to help digestion by widening the angle of the duodenojejunal flexure. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome is a rare abnormality caused by a congenitally-short suspensory muscle.

The duodenum and the jejunum are the first and second parts of the small intestine, respectively. The suspensory muscle of the duodenum marks their formal division. The suspensory muscle arises from the right crus of the diaphragm as it passes around the esophagus, continues as connective tissue around the stems of the celiac trunk (celiac artery) and superior mesenteric artery, passes behind the pancreas, and enters the upper part of the mesentery, inserting into the junction between the duodenum and jejunum, the duodenojejunal flexure. Here, the muscles are continuous with the muscular layers of the duodenum.