ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY

ABDOMINAL WALL
Chief layers of the abdominal wall
include:
• Skin
• Superficial fascia
Ø Camper’s fascia
Ø Scarpa’s fascia
Chief layers of the abdominal wall include:

•Muscle
ØLateral flat muscle
group
ØAnterior vertical
muscles
•Parietal
peritoneum
BLOOD SUPPLY & LYMPHATICS
The anterior abdominal wall is
supplied by the following:
vSuperior epigastric artery
vInferior epigastric artery
vDeep circumflex iliac
BLOOD SUPPLY & LYMPHATICS
The anterior abdominal wall is
supplied by the following:
vSuperficial epigastric vessels
vSuperficial circumflex iliac
Nerves of the anterior
abdominal wall include:

• Subcostal nerve
• Iliohypogastric
• Ilioinguinal
Structure and Function
The major functions of the abdominal
wall include:
• Providing a durable and flexible
covering to prevent the abdominal
viscera from leaving the abdominal
cavity.
• Protecting internal abdominal organs
from trauma/injury.
 Structure and Function
The major functions of the
abdominal wall include:
• Maintaining the anatomical
position of the abdominal organs.
• Assisting expiration by pushing the
abdominal organs towards the
diaphragm.
• Assisting in coughing and vomiting
by increasing intra-abdominal
pressure.
INGUINAL CANAL
a short passage that extends
inferiorly and medially through
the inferior part of the abdominal
wall. It is superior and parallel to
the inguinal ligament.
INGUINAL CANAL
ser ves as a pathway
by which structures can
pass from the abdominal
wall to the external
genitalia.
 The inguinal canal is the pathway by which the
testes (in an individual with an XY karyotype) leave the
abdominal cavity and enter the scrotum.
In the embryological stage, the canal is flanked by
an out-pocketing of the peritoneum (processus vaginalis)
and the abdominal musculature.
 INGUINAL CANAL walls
ØAnterior wall – aponeurosis of the
external oblique, reinforced by the
internal oblique muscle laterally.
ØPosterior wall – transversalis fascia.
ØRoof – transversalis fascia, internal
oblique, and transversus abdominis.
ØFloor – inguinal ligament
INGUINAL CANAL openings
The deep (internal) ring
found above the midpoint
of the inguinal ligament. which is
lateral to the epigastric vessels.
INGUINAL CANAL openings
Super ficial (external) ring
marks the end of the
inguinal canal, and lies just
superior to the pubic tubercle.
INGUINAL CANAL contents
Øspermatic cord (biological
males only)
Øround ligament (biological
female only)
Øillioinguinal nerve
Øgenital branch of the femoral
nerve