Ace the CST Challenge 2025 – Slice Through Your Surgical Tech Exam with Confidence!

The correct answer is the mesentery. The mesentery is a fold of peritoneum that attaches the small intestine to the posterior abdominal wall, providing support and allowing for the passage of blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves to the intestines. Its structure is essential for maintaining the position of the small intestine while also enabling mobility, which is important for the movement of food and digestive processes.

In contrast, the peritoneum is the serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity and covering the abdominal organs, but it does not specifically attach the small intestine to the posterior wall. The falciform ligament is a structure that connects the liver to the anterior abdominal wall and diaphragm, playing no role in the attachment of the small intestine. The lesser omentum connects the stomach and the duodenum to the liver and similarly does not have a direct connection to the small intestine's attachment to the abdominal wall. Thus, the mesentery is uniquely designed for this specific purpose.