Anatomy (Topographic) · MU Sofia

250. Vetro Lateral Abdominal wall

Covers the boundaries of the ventro-lateral abdominal wall and then walks through its layers from skin and subcutaneous tissue down to the parietal peritoneum. It describes the superficial fasciae (Camper's and Scarpa's), including their extensions in males and females, and the vessels and nerves lying between them. The note also outlines the venous anastomoses around the umbilicus, the caput medusae pattern, and clinical points on hernias and common surgical incisions such as McBurney's and paramedian.

Inside: 3 sections · 4 labelled pictures · 15 flashcards · 3 min

Topic 20 of 40 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Anatomy (Topographic) (Medicine, Year 2). The free AceMed note covers it in 3 sections, about 392 words (3 min of reading), with 15 flashcards.

In this note

  1. VENTRO-LATERAL ABDOMINAL WALL
  2. Boundaries :
  3. Surface Anatomy:

Boundaries :

Sup: Inf. margin of costal arches + xyphoid process.

Lateraly: Post. axillary lines

Inf : inguinal canal, iliac crests + pubic symphysis.

Surface Anatomy:

  1. 1 Skin and subcutaneous tissue
  2. 1.1 Fatty layer (panniculus adiposus) – contains subcutaneous veins
  3. 1.2 Fascia of Camper – composed of fine fibrous fibers within subcutaneous fat
  4. 2 Fascia of Scarpa (fascia subfascia abdominis)
  5. – a membranous layer of subcutaneous tissue (stratum membranosum telae subcutaneae) – separates the subcutaneous and deep fatty layer
  6. 3 Deep fatty layer – thinner than the superficial fatty layer
  7. 4 Superficial abdominal fascia – the fascia of the external oblique
  8. 5 External oblique
  9. 6 Internal oblique
  10. 7 Transversus abdominis
  11. 8 Transversalis fascia – part of the parietal abdominal fascia
  12. 9 Parietal peritoneum

Superficial fascia

* Campar's fascia— consist of fatts ,

  • thinner around the linea alba.
  • absent around the umbilicus.
  • Continues with the superficial fascia of the thigh.

* Scarp's fascia - membranous layer.

  • fuses inferiorly with the fascia lata of the thigh.
  • In males, it extends onto the dorsum of the penis, forming the funiform ligament.
  • In females, it extends into the labia majora & connects to the Colle's fascia.

Blood vessels & Nerves:

  • The space between the two components of superficial abdominal fascias contains adipose tissue, through which superficial blood vessels and nerves pass.
  • In the lower abdomen, branches of the epigastric and circumflex iliac arteries are close to the midline.
  • The branches of the pudendal arteries and veins are distributed around the superficial inguinal ring.
  • In the upper abdominal wall, arterial branches are smaller and originate from the intercostal and lumbar arteries.

Venous Anastomoses:

  • Subcutaneous veins in the umbilical region anastomose from three venous systems: superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, and portal vein.
  • These anastomoses can form a characteristic pattern around the umbilicus called the “caput medusae”.
  • The connections (cava-caval and porto-caval) occur between tributaries of major venous systems 1.

Clinical Significance:

  1. Hernias:
  • The anterolateral abdominal wall is a common site for hernias. These occur when abdominal contents (such as intestines) protrude through weakened areas in the muscle layers.
  • Common types include inguinal hernias, femoral hernias, and ventral/incisional hernias.
  • Surgical repair is often necessary to prevent complications.
  1. Surgical Incisions:
  • Surgeons choose specific incisions in this region for various procedures.
  • For example, the McBurney incision (right lower quadrant) is commonly used for appendectomy.
  • The paramedian incision provides access to the midline structures.

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