ampulla of Thoma

ampulla

 [am-pul´ah] (pl. ampul´lae) (L.) a flasklike dilatation of a tubular structure, especially of the expanded ends of the semicircular canals of the ear.ampulla chy´li cisterna chyli.ampulla duc´tus deferen´tis (Henle's ampulla) the enlarged and tortuous distal end of the ductus deferens.hepatopancreatic ampulla ampulla of Vater; a flasklike cavity in the major duodenal papilla into which the common bile duct and pancreatic duct open. Hepatopancreatic ampulla, receiving the common bile and pancreatic ducts and entering the duodenum at the major duodenal papilla. From Dorland's, 2000. Lieberkühn's ampulla the blind termination of the lacteals in the villi of the intestines.ampul´lae membrana´ceae membranous ampullae: the dilatations at one end of each of the three semicircular ducts.ampul´lae os´seae the dilatations at one of the ends of the semicircular canals.phrenic ampulla the dilatation at the lower end of the esophagus.ampulla of rectum the dilated portion of the rectum just proximal to the anal canal.ampulla of Thoma one of the small terminal expansions of an interlobar artery in the pulp of the spleen.ampulla of uterine tube the longest and widest portion of the fallopian (uterine) tube between the infundibulum and the isthmus of the tube.ampulla of Vater hepatopancreatic ampulla; the term “ampulla of Vater” is often mistakenly used instead of “papilla of Vater,” or major duodenal papilla.

ampulla of Thoma

An obsolete term that formerly dignified a dilated segment of arterial capillary, alleged to be present distal to the sheathed arteriole in the red pulp of the spleen.