The ascending colon is one of four portions of the large intestine. It extends from the cecum superiorly along the right abdominal wall to the inferior surface of the liver and bends sharply at a right angle to the left at a curve called the hepatic flexure. From there, it crosses the abdominal cavity as the transverse colon to the left abdominal wall at the splenic flexure and begins the descending colon which traverses inferiorly along the left abdominal wall to the pelvic region.