Inguinal Region

Question 1

What is an inguinal ring?

Answer 1

Defect or opening in fascia that permits the passage of structures through the inguinal canal

There are superficial and deep rings found int he external oblique aponeurosis and transversalis fascia

Question 2

What is the inguinal ligaments?

Answer 2

Also known as Poupart’s ligament

This is the foldered lower border of the aponeurosis of the external oblique muscle

Forms the floor of the inguinal canal

Question 3

What is the Lacunar ligament?

Answer 3

Medial extension of the inguinal ligament, which atatches to the pectineal line on the pubis

Continuous with the pectineal ligament

Question 4

What is the femoral ring?

Answer 4

Forms the opening of the femoral canal, the small medial compartment for lymph vessels in the femoral sheath

Site of a femoral hernia

Question 5

What is the pectineal ligament?

Answer 5

AKA Cooper’s Ligament

Thickening of the periosteum taht is continuous with the lacunar ligament at the pectineal line of the pubis

Question 6

What is the conjoint tendon?

Answer 6

Formed by the fused aponeuroses of the internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles near their insertion on the pubis

Question 7

What is the inguinal falx?

Answer 7

Generally considered synonymous with the conjoint tendon

Reinforces the posterior wall of the inguinal canal

Question 8

What is the transversalis fascia?

Answer 8

Layer of abdominal wall taht lies deep to the anterolateral muscles and their aponeuroses

Forms entire posterior wall of the inguinal canal

Question 9

What is the interfoveolar ligament?

Answer 9

AKA Hesselbach’s ligament

Fibromuscular extension of transversus abdominis fibers at the medial edge of the deep ingiunal ring

Question 10

What is Hesselbach’s triangle or inguinal triangle?

Answer 10

Site of weakness in the abdominal wall vulnerable to a direct inguinal hernia

Question 11

What are the boundaries of the inguinal canal?

Answer 11

Anterior - aponeurosis of EO muscle (entire canal), aponeurosis of IO muscle (lateral third of canal)

Posterior - transversalis fascia (entire canal), conjoint tendon (medial third)

Roof - muscle fibers and aponeurosis of the internal oblique muscle and the aponeurosis of the transversus abdominis

Floor - Inguinal ligament (throughout canal), Lacunar ligament (medial third)

Question 12

What structures are transmitted through the inguinal canal?

Answer 12

Male - spermatic cord and its components

Female - narrower canal transmits round ligament of uterus

Both - Ilioinguinal n. and genital branch of genitofemoral n.

Question 13

What is the processus vaginalis?

Answer 13

Evagination of peritoneum into ventral abdominal wall that occurs independent of testes descent

Forms the inguinal canal and is normally obliterated between deep inguinal ring and superior testes

Part persists as tunica vaginalis, covering of the testis derived from parietal peritoneum

Question 14

What is the Gubernaculum?

Answer 14

Condensed band of mesenchyme that extends from the lower pole of the developing gonad through the inguinal canal to the labioscrotal swelling

Question 15

What is the dartos muscle?

Answer 15

Contracts in response to cold and reduces surface area of scrotal skin

Dartos layer is continuous with the fayyt Camper’s superficial fascia in the abdomen

Question 16

What is the tunica albuginea?

Answer 16

Outer capsule around the testis

Fibrous septa extend from the inner surface and divide the testis into lobules

Question 17

What are the seminiferous tubules?

Answer 17

Site of sperm production

Lie within the each lobule

Question 18

What is the rete testis?

Answer 18

Network of canals that conduct sperm

Question 19

What is the epididymis?

Answer 19

Sperm storage and maturation

Has a head, body, and tail

Question 20

What arteries supply the testis?

Answer 20

Cremasteric (inferior epigastric branch)

Testicular (from abdominal aorta)

Artery of ductus deferens

Question 21

What are the two layers of the tunica vaginalis?

Answer 21

Visceral - immediatley covers the tunica albuginea

Parietal - separated by a cavity of the tunica vaginalis

Question 22

What is an indirect inguinal hernia?

Answer 22

Most common type of hernia in both children and adults, more frequent in males

Neck passes through deep inguinal ring

Enters inguinal canal lateral to inferior epigastric vessels

Cause is congenital from incomplete obliteration of processus vaginalis

Question 23

What are direct inguinal hernias?

Answer 23

Occur in adults, commin in older men

Neck passes directly through the medial inguinal fossa

Enters inguinal canal medial to inferior epigastric vessels

Question 24

What are femoral hernias?

Answer 24

Occur through the femoral ring

More common in women

Neck always lies below and lateral to the pubic tubercle

Question 25

What is corona mortis?

Answer 25

Anatomical variant

Vascular connection between the obturator vessels and the inferior epigastric vessels

An aberrant obturator artery can branch from the inferior epigastric artery in the groin region

Question 26

What is cryptorchidism?

Answer 26

Incomplete testes descent such that one or both testes remain in body cavity or inguinal canal

Question 27

What is hydrocele?

Answer 27

Collection of fluid int estes or spermatic cord that can result from persistent processus vaginalis

Cannula is used to remove excess fluid through a process termed taping a hydrocele

Question 28

What is varicocele?

Answer 28

Dilation and tortuous coursing of pampiniform plexus of testicular veins

Often results from defective valves in testicular vein

Usually occurs on the left

Question 29

What is torsion of the testis?

Answer 29

Rotation of the testis around the spermatic cord within the scrotum

Question 30

What is a vasectomy?

Answer 30

Surgical ligation of ductus deferens so that nor sperm are contained in ejaculated fluid

Question 31

What is the cremasteric reflex?

Answer 31

Stroking medial aspect of thigh produces a reflex contraction of the cremaster muscle and ipsilateral eleavation of the testis and scrotum

Involves ilioinguinal (sensory) and genital branch of genitofemoral (motor)