Inguinal Canals

What is the inguinal canal a result of?

descent of gonads

What is the path of the inguinal canals in females?

posterior superior abdominal wall to pelvis

What is the path of the inguinal canal in males?

posterior superior abdominal wall to scrotum

What is the purpose of descending the testes?

thermoregulation

What is the likely reason for descent of ovaries?

protection

Where do the gonads develop before descent?

near kidneys

What structure acts as the guidewire for the descent of gonads?

gubernaculum

What does the gubernaculum attach to?

the labioscrotal fold in the embryo

What does the gubernaculum pull down?

the gonad, nerves, arteries, and lymphatics

What in adults reflects the gubernaculum?

blood vessels to the testis come off the aorta, testicular cancer can easily spread to lumbar spine, and pain in the testicles can spread to low back

What is the vaginal process?

when the testis is descending it pulls peritoneum with it resulting in this process

What is the tunica vaginalis?

once the vaginal process is closed it is called this

What is the importance of closing the vaginal process?

without it, testis can move back up into abdomen

What are inguinal canals?

the defects in the anterior abdominal walls from the gubernaculum pulling down the gonads

What is transmitted in the inguinal canals in the female?

round ligament of the uterus, tiny blood and lymph vessels, branches of ilioinguinal and genitofemoral nerves

What is the round ligament of the uterus?

gubernacular remnants

What is transmitted by the inguinal canals in the male?

testicular arteries and veins, testicular nerves, part of genitofemoral and ilioinguinal nerves, ductus deferens and its artery, lymphatic vessels, and the testes (for a period during development)

What is everything in the male inguinal canal transmitted through?

spermatic cord

What is the superficial inguinal ring?

a ring in the aponeurosis left when the spermatic cord is cut

What is the inguinal ligament?

the bottom edge of the external abdominal oblique aponeurosis

What is the function of the cremaster muscle?

contracts to pull tetes closer to body when cold, aroused, scared etc

the ilioinguinal nerve is ___ to the spermatic cord

anterior

What contributes to the cremaster muscle?

internal abdominal oblique and sometimes the transversus abdominus muscle

What contributes to the internal spermatic fascia?

transversalis fascia

Where is the deep inguinal ring?

in the transversalis fascia

What contributes to the external spermatic fascia?

external abdominal oblique

What contributes to the tunica vaginalis?

parietal peritoneum

Where is the gubernacular remnant in males?

at the bottom of the testis connecting it to the scrotum

What does the presence of an inguinal canal give rise to?

propensity for herniation

What causes an inguinal hernia?

increased intra-abdominal pressure

Which type of inguinal hernia is more commonly congenital?

indirect

What type of inguinal hernia is more common in adults?

direct

Where is an indirect inguinal hernia?

lateral to inferior epigastric vessels

What happens with an indirect inguinal hernia?

re-opens the processus vaginalis and intestines can descend into the scrotum

Where is a direct inguinal hernia?

medial to the inferior epigastric vessels

What happens in a direct inguinal hernia?

pushes directly through anterior wall