Anterior Abdominal Wall

Question 1

Names of anterior abdominal wall subdivisions

Answer 1

Four quadrants
Nine abdominopelvic region

Question 2

What lines divide the anterior abdominal wall into four quadrants?

Answer 2

Horizontal transumbilical
Verticalmedian planes

Question 3

What are the names of the four quadrants of the anterior abdominal wall?

Answer 3

Right upper
Right lower
Left upper
Left lower

Question 4

Which planes form the nine abdominopelvic regions?

Answer 4

Superior subcostal plane - Passes under the costal margins of the 10th ribs
Inferior intertubercular plane - Connects the tubercules of the iliac crest
Midclavicular planes - Passes through the midpoint of each clavicle and halfway between the pubic symphysis and the anterior superior iliac spine

Question 5

What are the names of the abdominopelvic regions?

Answer 5

Question 6

What are striae distensae?

Answer 6

Stretch marks/elongated lines
Form in pregnant women, obese people and those with abdominal distention

Question 7

Location of the superficial fascia

Answer 7

Just below the skin and consists of connective tissue

Question 8

Superficial fascia superior to the umbilicus

Answer 8

Similar and continuous to the superficial fascia of the body and is made up mostly of one layer

Question 9

Superficial fascia inferior to the umbilicus

Answer 9

Divided into two layers:
Superficial Camper’s Facia
Deep Scarpa’s Fascia

Question 10

Composition of the superficial camper’s fascia?

Answer 10

Thick fatty layer
Has a variable degree of thickness

Question 11

Composition of the deep scarpa’s fascia

Answer 11

Thinner and denser membranous layer overlying the muscle layer of the abdominal wall

Question 12

Attachment points of the scarpa’s fascia

Answer 12

Attached to the Linea alba and pubic symphysis and fuses with the fascia lata (deep fascia of the thigh) right below the inguinal ligament

Question 13

How is the fascia of the penis and the scrotum formed?

Answer 13

Camper’s fascia blends with the Scarpa’s fascia to form the superficial fascia of the penis
Scarpa’s fascia extends further on into the scrotum, where it contains smooth muscle fibers and becomes the dartos fascia

Question 14

Formation and location of Colles’ fascia

Answer 14

Where the scarpa’s fascia continues into the perineum to form the superficial fascia of the perineum

In women it continues into the labia majora and anterior perineum

Question 15

What are the muscle groups of the anterior abdominal wall?

Answer 15

Lateral flat group of muscles - Located on either side of the abdomen
Anterior vertical muscles - Located bilaterally to the linea alba

Question 16

What are the muscles of the lateral flat group?

Answer 16

External oblique
Internal oblique
Transversus abdominis

Question 17

What are the muscles of the anterior vertical group?

Answer 17

Rectus abdominis
Pyramidalis muscles

Question 18

How can the external abdominal oblique muscle be identified?

Answer 18

Most superficial muscle layer
Fibers directed downwards and forwards

Question 19

What happens to the external abdominal oblique muscles anteriorly?

Answer 19

Continues anteriorly as the external oblique aponeurosis, which courses anteriorly to the rectus abdominis muscle and inserts into the linea alba

Question 20

Origin of the external abdominal oblique muscle?

Answer 20

External surface of ribs 5-12

Question 21

Insertion of the external abdominal oblique muscle

Answer 21

Linea alba
Pubic tubercle
Anterior half of iliac crest

Question 22

Nerve supply of the external abdominal oblique muscle

Answer 22

Lower intercostal nerves (T7-T1)
Subcostal nerve (T12)
Iliohypogastric nerve (L1)

Question 23

Actions of the external abdominal oblique muscle

Answer 23

Bilateral contraction - Trunk flexion, Compressesion of the abdominal viscera, Expiration
Unilateral contraction - Trunk lateral flexion (ipsilateral), Trunk rotation (contralateral)

Question 24

How can the internal abdominal oblique muscle be differentiated?

Answer 24

Upward fibers

Question 25

Origins of the internal abdominal oblique muscle

Answer 25

Thoracolumbar fascia Anterior iliac crest Iliopectineal arch

Question 26

Insertion of the internal abdominal oblique muscle

Answer 26

Continues anteriorly as the internal oblique aponeurosis, which splits around the rectus abdominis muscle to insert into the linea alba

Question 27

Nerve supply of the internal abdominal oblique muscle

Answer 27

Lower intercostal nerves (T7-T11) Subcostal nerve (T12) Iliohypogastric nerve (L1) Ilioinguinal nerve (L1)

Question 28

Actions of the internal abdominal oblique muscle

Answer 28

**Bilateral contraction** - Trunk flexion, Compressesion of abdominal viscera, Expiration **Unilateral contraction** - Trunk lateral flexion (ipsilateral), Trunk rotation (ipsilateral)

Question 29

Origin of the transversus abdominis muscle

Answer 29

Costal cartilages of ribs 7-12 Thoracolumbar fascia Anterior iliac crest Iliopectineal arch

Question 30

Insertion of the transversus abdominis muscle

Answer 30

Continues anteriorly as the transverse abdominis aponeurosis and inserts into the pubic crest and pectineal line of pubis

Question 31

Nerve supply of the tranversus abdominis muscle

Answer 31

Lower intercostal nerves (T7-T11) Subcostal nerve (T12) Iliohypogastric nerve (L1) Ilioinguinal nerve (L1)

Question 32

Action of the transversus abdominis muscle

Answer 32

**Bilateral contraction** - Compresses abdominal viscera, Expiration **Unilateral contraction** - Trunk rotation (ipsilateral)

Question 33

Origin of the rectus abdominis muscle

Answer 33

Pubic symphysis Pubic crest

Question 34

Origin of the rectus abdominis muscle

Answer 34

Pubic symphysis Pubic crest

Question 35

Insertion of the rectus abdominis muscle

Answer 35

Xiphoid process Costal cartilages of ribs 5-7

Question 36

Nerve supply of the rectus abdominis muscle

Answer 36

Intercostal nerves (T7-T11) Subcostal nerve (T12)

Question 37

Action of the rectus abdominis muscle

Answer 37

Trunk flexion Compresses abdominal viscera Expiration

Question 38

Origin of the pyramidalis muscle

Answer 38

Pubic symphysis Pubic crest

Question 39

Insertion of the pyramidalis muscle

Answer 39

Linea alba

Question 40

Nerve supply of the pyramidalis muscle

Answer 40

Subcostal nerve (T12)

Question 41

Action of the pyramidalis muscle

Answer 41

Tenses linea alba

Question 42

What are the deep fascial layers?

Answer 42

Transversalis fascia Extraperitoneal fat Parietal peritoneum

Question 43

What is the transversalis fascia?

Answer 43

A thin, aponeurotic membrane, deep to the transverse abdominis muscle

Question 44

What is extraperitoneal fat?

Answer 44

A thin layer of connective tissue and fat lining the abdominal wall between the transversalis fascia and the parietal peritoneum The extraperitoneal fat is more abundant in the posterior abdominal wall, especially around the kidneys and in the pelvic floor

Question 45

What is parietal peritoneum?

Answer 45

Parietal peritoneum is a serous membrane lining the internal surface of the abdominal wall The parietal peritoneum forms the mesentery that suspends the abdominal viscera and is continuous with the visceral peritoneum.

Question 46

What is a Caesarean-section?

Answer 46

Surgical procedure for which incisions are made through a pregnant woman's abdomen to access the uterus for delivery of the infant

Question 47

Location of insicision for C-section

Answer 47

Lower uterine section where a transverse cut is made superior to the pubis and bladder

Question 48

List the layers which are cut in a C-section

Answer 48

**Superficial to deep**: Skin Camper's fascia Scarpa's fascia Rectus sheath Pyramidalis muscle Rectus abdominis muscle Transversalis fascia Extraperitoneal fascia Parietal peritoneum