Abdomen Anatomy: Introduction & Anterolateral Abdominal Wall Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the anatomical structures, layers, muscles, blood supply, and nerve supply of the anterolateral abdominal wall as discussed in Lecture 1.

Abdomen

The part of the trunk between the thorax and the pelvis.

Abdominopelvic cavity

The continuous cavity extending from the thoracic diaphragm to the pelvic diaphragm.

Striae

Stretch marks often found in the umbilical or hypogastric regions caused by tearing of the dermis during rapid growth.

Camper's fascia

The superficial fatty layer of subcutaneous tissue located below the umbilicus.

Scarpa's fascia

The deep, thinner, and denser membranous layer of subcutaneous tissue located below the umbilicus.

Colles' fascia

The continuation of Scarpa’s fascia into the perineum.

Dartos fascia

The superficial fascia of the penis and scrotum, continuous with Scarpa's and Colles' fascia.

External oblique muscle

The largest and most superficial flat muscle in the abdominal wall, with fibers running inferomedially.

Digastric muscle (Abdominal)

A functional unit formed by the contralateral external and internal oblique muscles working together to bring the shoulder toward the opposite hip.

Internal oblique muscle

The flat muscle lying deep to the external oblique with fibers running superomedially.

Transversus abdominis muscle

The innermost of the three flat abdominal muscles, featuring fibers that run transversally.

Rectus abdominis muscle

The principal vertical muscle of the anterior abdominal wall, anchored by three tendinous intersections.

Pyramidalis

An insignificant triangular muscle absent in approximately $20\%$ of people, used as a landmark for median abdominal incisions.

Rectus sheath

A fibrous compartment formed by the interweaving of the aponeuroses of the flat abdominal muscles.

Arcuate line

A crescent-shaped demarcation point where the posterior layer of the rectus sheath ends.

Linea alba

A midline raphe extending from the xiphoid process to the pubic symphysis, formed by interlacing aponeuroses.

Transversalis fascia

A membranous sheet lining the deep surface of the transversus abdominis muscle.

Thoraco-abdominal nerves

The distal portions of the anterior rami of spinal nerves $T7$ to $T12$.

Superior epigastric artery

The direct continuation of the internal thoracic artery that supplies the superior part of the rectus abdominis.

Inferior epigastric artery

An artery arising from the external iliac artery that enters the rectus sheath below the arcuate line.

Superficial lymphatics (above umbilicus)

Lymphatic vessels that drain in a superior direction to the axillary lymph nodes.

Superficial lymphatics (below umbilicus)

Lymphatic vessels that drain in an inferior direction to the superficial inguinal nodes.