Anatomy 24 Flashcards
What are the anterior borders of the inguinal canal?
- External oblique aponeurosis
- Laterally only: internal oblique aponeurosis
What are the posterior borders of the inguinal canal?
- Transversalis fascia
- Medially only: medial fibres of the aponeuroses of the internal oblique and transversus abdominis (which are together known as the conjoint tendon)
What is the roof of the inguinal canal?
- Transversalis fascia
- Arching fibres of the internal oblique and transversus abdominis
What is the floor of the inguinal ligament?
Inguinal ligament (which is the ‘rolled-up ’lower border of the external oblique aponeurosis).
What are the contents of the inguinal canal in females?
- Round ligament of the uterus
- Ilioinguinal nerve
- Genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve
In males where are the contents of the inguinal canal (except for one) all contained within?
Spermatic cord
Which content of the inguinal canal in males is NOT contained in the spermatic cord?
Ilioinguinal nerve
What can the contents of the spermatic cord be divided into?
2 nerves
3 arteries
3 fascial layers
4 other structures
What are the 2 nerves in the spermatic cord?
- Genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve
- Sympathetic nerve fibres
What are the 3 arteries in the spermatic cord?
- Testicular artery
- Cremasteric artery
- Artery to the vas deferens
What are the 3 fascial layers in the spermatic cord?
- External spermatic fascia (derived from the external oblique aponeurosis)
- Cremaster muscle and fascia (derived from the internal oblique muscle)
- Internal spermatic fascia (derived from the transversalis fascia)
What are the 4 other structures found in the spermatic cord?
- Pampiniform venous plexus
- Lymphatics
- Vas deferens (plural: vasa deferentia)
- Processus vaginalis (derived from the peritoneum)
What is a hernia?
An abnormal protrusion of tissues or organs from one region into another through an opening or defect
Why may hernias of the anterior abdominal wall occur?
Muscles are weak or have been incised during surgery
What is an inguinal hernia?
A protrusion of abdominal contents (normally part of the
greater omentum or loops of small intestine) through the anterior abdominal wall into the inguinal canal.
What is an indirect inguinal hernia?
Intra-abdominal contents are forced through the deep
inguinal ring and into the canal
The abdominal contents may even be forced along the
canal and through the superficial ring.
From here, the hernia may extend into the scrotum in males or into the labia majora in females.
Which type of hernia is more common?
Indirect hernias as they are more likely to get stuck in the canal and become ‘irreducible’
How can hernias become a surgical emergency?
Herniated tissue can ‘strangulate’ and become ischaemic
What is a direct inguinal hernia?
Intra-abdominal contents are forced through the posterior wall
of the inguinal canal and directly through the superficial ring.
What happens to the herniated abdominal contents in direct inguinal hernias?
The herniated abdominal contents do not pass through the deep inguinal ring
Give features of scrotal skin
Thin
Wrinkled
Darkly pigmented than elsewhere
What is found underneath the scrotal skin?
- Thin layer of superficial fascia
- Thin, involuntary muscle called the dartos
Where does the superficial fascia extend?
Between the testicles to form a septum dividing the scrotum into right and left halves
What does each half of the scrotum contain?
Testis
Epididymis
Lower part of the spermatic cord
What do the testes produce?
Sperm
What do the testes secrete?
Sex hormone testosterone
What are the testes?
Ovoid structures which are covered by the same 3 layers of spermatic fascia that cover the spermatic cord
What are the testes partially surrounded by?
A sac derived from the peritoneum called the tunica vaginalis
What is the epididymis?
A coiled tube lying along the posterior border of each testis, which has an expanded head superiorly, a body and a pointed tail lying at the lower pole of the testis.
Where are the spermatozoa formed?
In the testis