Inguinal Canal Flashcards
What is the inguinal ligament?
rolled-under inferior border of external oblique muscle aponeurosis
What is the inguinal ligament attached to?
ASIS and pubic tubercle
What is the conjoint tendon (inguinal falx)?
combined aponeurosis of inferior/medial margins of internal oblique and transversus abdominal m. inserting into pubis
What is the superficial ring?
external opening within aponeurosis for spermatic cord or round ligament
What are the crural fibers?
- medial crus
- lateral crus
- intercrural fibers
What is the lacunar ligament?
ligament between pubic rami and inguinal ligament; anchors inguinal ligament to pubis
What is the pectineal ligament?
continuation of fibers from lacunar ligament running along pectin pubis
What is the other name for the femoral canal?
subinguinal space
Where is the femoral canal?
lies immediately lateral to lacunar ligament
What are the inguinal rings?
- deep ring
- superficial ring
What is the deep ring?
entrance to inguinal canal and beginning of the invagination of peritoneum into transversalis fascia
Where is the deep ring?
superior to inguinal ligament and lateral to inferior epigastric artery.
Where vas deferens and gonadal vessels/nerves pass in males and round ligament pass in females
What is the superficial ring?
exit for inguinal canal
Where is the superficial ring?
where spermatic cord or round ligament exit from the canal
What is split by the superficial ring?
external oblique muscle aponeurosis
What are the abdominal layers? (superficial to deep)
- external oblique aponeurosis
- internal oblique m
- transversus abdominis m
- transversalis fascia
- parietal peritoneum
- inguinal ligament
What is the iliopubic tract?
thickening of transversalis fascia running posterior to inguinal ligament
What are the nerves near inguinal ligament, canal, and ring?
iliohypogastric N (L1) ilioinguinal N (L1) genitofemoral N (L1, L2)
What does the iliohypogastric N innervate?
- motor to abdominal muscles (IO and TA)
- skin above pubis
What does the ilioinguinal N innervate?
- motor to abdominal muscles (IO and TA)
- skin over upper/medial thigh and skin at root of penis/clitoris and anterior scrotum/labia
What is the path of the ilioinguinal N?
transverses inguinal canal, exits superficial ring lateral to cord
What does the genitofemoral N innervate?
genital branch
- motor - cremasteric muscle
- sensory - small part of medial thigh and scrotal/labial fascia
Where are the gonads from?
near T10 axial level
What connects gonads to future scrotal swellings?
gubernaculum
Describe testicular (gonadal) descent
- gonads from near T10 axial level
- gonads are connected to future scrotal swellings by gubernaculum
- descent along with an out-pocketing of peritoneal cavity (processus vaginalis) into future scrotum
- connection to peritoneum closed; tunica vaginalis represents the remains of processus vaginalis around testes
What layers of abdominal wall are carried as spermatic cord develops?
- transversalis fascia
- internal oblique
- external oblique
What is processus vaginalis?
evagination of peritoneal cavity