Inguinal Canal

Question 1

What is the inguinal canal?

Answer 1

A 4cm passage running inferomedially across the anterolateral abdominal wall superior and parallel to the inguinal ligament

• passage forstructures passing from abdominal wall to external genitalia
• formed by 4 walls and 2 rings

Question 2

What are the contents of the inguinal canal?

Answer 2

• ilioinguinal nerve
• genital branch of genitofemoral nerve
• spermatic cord (male)
• round ligament of the uterus (female)

Question 3

What are the 2 rings of the inguinal canal?

Answer 3

Deep ring

• internal
• lateral end of canal
• opening in transversalis fascia

Superficial ring

• external
• medial end of canal
• opening in EO aponeurosis

Question 4

What forms the floor of the inguinal canal?

Answer 4

The inguinal ligament folds back on itself to form a trough

Question 5

What forms the roof of the inguinal canal?

Answer 5

Fibres from the IO and TA

Question 6

What forms the anterior and posterior borders of the inguinal canal?

Answer 6

Anterior: aponeurosis of EO
Posterior: transversalis fascia and conjoint tendon

Question 7

What are the borders of the inguinal canal?

Answer 7

Anterior: aponeurosis of EO
Posterior: transversalis fascia and conjoint tendon
Floor: inguinal ligament
Roof: fibres of IO and TA