{"id":1606,"date":"2020-08-14T11:12:14","date_gmt":"2020-08-14T11:12:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/abdomen-and-pelvis\/anterior-abdominal-wall\/"},"modified":"2024-04-22T21:38:30","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T19:38:30","slug":"anterior-abdominal-wall","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/abdomen-and-pelvis\/structures-and-regions\/anterior-abdominal-wall\/","title":{"rendered":"Anterior abdominal wall"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"intro\">The anterior abdominal wall forms the anterior limit of the abdominal organs, located at the anterior aspect of the abdomen between the xiphoid process and the costal margin, and the inguinal ligament.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n<span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_1\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Functions<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_1\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The purpose of the abdominal wall is protection, maintenance of and resistance to pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In males, the bottom part of the anterior abdominal wall forms the cover for the spermatic cord and testicles.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"attachment_14793\"><a href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/anterior-abdominal-wall.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Anterior abdominal wall\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/anterior-abdominal-wall-563x600.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14793\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Anterior abdominal wall<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"attachment_20365\"><a href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/inguinal-region-scaled.png\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Anterior abdominal wall\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/inguinal-region-600x474.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20365\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>The male inguinal region<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_2\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Surface landmarks<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_2\">\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Linea alba<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Between the xiphoid process to the pubic tubercle<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Linea nigra<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 In 1\/3 of pregnancies, a dark line where linea alba is<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Linea semulinaris<\/strong>\u00a0(semicircularis) \u2014 Lateral edge of rectus abdominis m.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Linea arcuate<\/strong>\u00a0(<strong>arcuate line<\/strong>) \u2014 Lower edge of transversus abdominis muscle, 3 fingers below the umbilicus<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inguinal ligament<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Between ASIS and pubic tubercle<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lumbar triangle<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Weak point in the posterior abdominal wall; between iliac crest, latissimus dorsi and external oblique \u2013 contains only internal oblique and transversus abdominis, hence possible site of herniation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_3\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Layers (external to internal)<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_3\">\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Skin<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Camper\u2019s fascia (<strong>subcutaneous fat<\/strong>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scarpa\u2019s fascia (<strong>membranous layer<\/strong>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Muscles and their aponeurosis (collectively known as the\u00a0<strong>rectus sheath<\/strong>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Endoabdominal fascia (<strong>transversalis fascia<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 the continuation of the\u00a0<strong>endothoracic fascia<\/strong>\u00a0from the thorax)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Extraperitoneal fat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Peritoneum<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_4\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Rectus sheath (4th layer)<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_4\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rectus sheath consists of the rectus abdominis muscle surrounded by the aponeurosa of the muscles of the abdominal wall:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Above the arcuate line \u2014 The external oblique aponeurosis is anterior to rectus abdominis; internal oblique aponeurosis invests it, and transversus abdominis aponeurosis is posterior to it<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Below the arcuate line \u2014 All 3 aponeurosa are anterior to rectus abdominis<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"attachment_14924\"><a href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/rectus_sheath_above.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Anterior abdominal wall\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/rectus_sheath_above-600x224.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14924\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong><strong>The r<\/strong>ectus sheath above the arcuate line (cross-section)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"attachment_14925\"><a href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/rectus_sheath_below.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Anterior abdominal wall\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/rectus_sheath_below-600x224.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14925\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>The rectus sheath below the arcuate line<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_5\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Neurovasculature<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_5\">\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"pure-table\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Blood supply<\/strong><\/td><td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Branches of the&nbsp;femoral artery:<\/span><br>1. Superficial circumflex iliac artery<br>2. Superficial epigastric artery<br>3. External pudendal&nbsp;artery<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Venous drainage<\/strong><\/td><td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Femoral vein:<\/span><br>Through the saphenous hiatus, formed by veins of the same name:<br>1. Superficial circumflex iliac vein<br>2. Superficial epigastric vein<br>3. External pudendal vein<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Innervation<\/strong><\/td><td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Thoracoabdominal nerves:<\/span><br>Formed by the anterior and lateral cutaneous of 6 inferior intercostal nerves, and subcostal nerves)<br><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Iliohypogastric nerve:<\/span><br>The anterior rami of the L1 spinal nerve<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Lymphatic drainage<\/strong><\/td><td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Superficial lymph vessels<\/span>:<br>Accompany superficial veins. They are divided based on the transumbilical line:<br>1. Above it, they drain to axillary and parasternal lymph nodes<br>2. Below it, they drain to superficial inguinal lymph nodes<br><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Deep lymph vessels<\/span>:<br>Accompany deep veins. They drain to:<br>1. External iliac nodes<br>2. Common iliac nodes<br>3. Right (caval), and left (aortic) lumbar nodes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/span><div id=\"the_titles\" style=\"display:none;\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Functions<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Surface landmarks<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Layers (external to internal)<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rectus sheath (4th layer)<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Neurovasculature<\/h4><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Functions The purpose of the abdominal wall is protection, maintenance of and resistance to pressure. In males, the bottom part of the anterior abdominal wall forms the cover for the spermatic cord and testicles. Surface landmarks Layers (external to internal) Rectus sheath (4th layer) The rectus sheath consists of the rectus abdominis muscle surrounded by [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1605,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1606","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Anterior abdominal wall &#8211; Meddists<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/abdomen-and-pelvis\/structures-and-regions\/anterior-abdominal-wall\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/meddists.com\\\/learn\\\/pre-clinical\\\/anatomy\\\/abdomen-and-pelvis\\\/structures-and-regions\\\/anterior-abdominal-wall\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/meddists.com\\\/learn\\\/pre-clinical\\\/anatomy\\\/abdomen-and-pelvis\\\/structures-and-regions\\\/anterior-abdominal-wall\\\/\",\"name\":\"Anterior abdominal wall &#8211; 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