What Are Abdominal Fascia?

Transverse abdominal fascia, an anatomical term, is a part of the intraabdominal fascia and is the part of the intraabdominal fascia lining the inner surface of the anterior and lateral wall of the abdomen. The transverse abdominal fascia is most developed in the groin area and forms structures such as abdominal rings. Clinically lies in hernia treatment.

Transverse abdominal fascia, an anatomical term, is a part of the intraabdominal fascia and is the part of the intraabdominal fascia lining the inner surface of the anterior and lateral wall of the abdomen. The transverse abdominal fascia is most developed in the groin area and forms structures such as abdominal rings. Clinically lies in hernia treatment.

Chinese name

Transverse abdominal fascia

Pro Bed

Hernia treatment

Physiological significance of ventral transverse fascia

The abdominal fascia is lined with the inner part of the anterior outer wall of the abdomen. The thickness varies, and the inferior ligament and zygomatic inner lip are more prominent; it is denser at the lateral edge of the rectus abdominis muscle and is combined with the inguinal sickle. At the inguinal ring of the inguinal canal, the spermatic cord surrounds the scrotum and forms the inner fascia of the spermatic cord. The thickened fiber bundles on the inner side of the abdominal ring are connected between the inguinal ligament and the inguinal sickle. Thickening around the umbilicus, mostly transverse fibers, called umbilical fascia.

Anatomy of the ventral lateral fascia of the ventral anterior lateral wall

Although the abdominal wall is continuous, it is divided into an anterior wall, a right wall, a left wall (side), and a rear wall for ease of description.

The ventral anterior lateral wall extends from the thorax to the pelvis, and its main components are muscle and aponeurosis. The boundary between the anterior ventral wall and the outer ventral wall is not clear, so it is often called the anterior ventral outer wall. There are many structures such as muscles and cutaneous nerves that are often located in both the anterior ventral wall and the ventral outer wall.

During the physical examination, the anterior and lateral walls of the abdomen are often viewed, touched, pinched, and listened. Surgeons also often choose the anterior and lateral side of the abdomen as the approach site for abdominal surgery.

Boundary of anterior ventral lateral wall:

The upper bound is the 7th rib cartilage to the 10th rib cartilage and the sternum xiphoid;

Lower bound to inguinal ligament and pelvis.

The abdominal wall is composed of skin and subcutaneous tissue (shallow fascia, mainly containing fat), muscle, deep fascia, intra-abdominal fascia / fat, and parietal peritoneum. The skin and subcutaneous tissues are loosely coupled, but tightly bonded at the umbilicus.

The majority of the anterior lateral wall of the abdomen is composed of three layers of latissimus muscle, each layer of muscle fibers have different directions. This 3-layer structure is similar to the structure in the thoracocostal space.