In anatomy, the abdominal wall represents the boundaries of the
abdominal cavity. The abdominal wall is split into the anterolateral and posterior walls.
There is a common set of layers covering and forming all the walls: the deepest being the
visceral peritoneum, which covers many of the abdominal organs (most of the large and small intestines, for example), and the
parietal peritoneum- which covers the visceral peritoneum below it, the
extraperitoneal fat
Between the inner surface of the general layer of the fascia which lines the interior of the abdominal and pelvic cavities, and the peritoneum
The peritoneum is the serous membrane forming the lining of the abdominal cavity or coelom in amnio ...
, the
transversalis fascia, the internal and external oblique and transversus abdominis aponeurosis, and a layer of
fascia, which has different names according to what it covers (e.g., transversalis, psoas fascia).
In medical vernacular, the term 'abdominal wall' most commonly refers to the layers composing the anterior abdominal wall which, in addition to the layers mentioned above, includes the three layers of muscle: the
transversus abdominis (transverse abdominal muscle), the
internal (obliquus internus) and the
external oblique
The abdominal external oblique muscle (also external oblique muscle, or exterior oblique) is the largest and outermost of the three flat abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen.
Structure
The external oblique is situated on the lateral ...
(obliquus externus).
Structure
The contour of abdominal wall is roughly hexagonal. Its superior border is bounded by the coastal margins, lateral borders by mid-axillary lines, and inferior borders bounded by the anterior half of the iliac crest, inguinal ligaments, pubic crest, and pubic symphysis.
Layers
In
human anatomy, the layers of the anterolateral abdominal wall are (from superficial to deep):
*
Skin
Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation.
Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...
*
Subcutaneous tissue
*
Fascia
**
Camper's fascia - fatty superficial layer.
**
Scarpa's fascia - deep fibrous layer.
**
Superficial Abdominal fascia
*
Muscle
**
External oblique abdominal muscle
External may refer to:
* External (mathematics), a concept in abstract algebra
* Externality, in economics, the cost or benefit that affects a party who did not choose to incur that cost or benefit
* Externals, a fictional group of X-Men anta ...
**
Internal oblique abdominal muscle
**
Rectus abdominis
**
Transverse abdominal muscle
**
Pyramidalis muscle
The pyramidalis muscle is a small triangular muscle, anterior to the rectus abdominis muscle, and contained in the rectus sheath.
Structure
The pyramidalis muscle is part of the anterior abdominal wall. Inferiorly, the pyramidalis muscle attache ...
*
Transversalis fascia
*
Extraperitoneal fat
Between the inner surface of the general layer of the fascia which lines the interior of the abdominal and pelvic cavities, and the peritoneum
The peritoneum is the serous membrane forming the lining of the abdominal cavity or coelom in amnio ...
*
Peritoneum
The peritoneum is the serous membrane forming the lining of the abdominal cavity or coelom in amniotes and some invertebrates, such as annelids. It covers most of the intra-abdominal (or coelomic) organs, and is composed of a layer of mes ...
Inner surface
The surface contains several ligaments separated by fossae:
See also
*
Abdominal exercise
Abdominal exercises are a type of strength exercise that affect the abdominal muscles (colloquially known as the stomach muscles or "abs"). Human abdominal consist of four muscles which are the rectus abdomens, internal oblique, external oblique, a ...
*
Abdominal wall defect
*
Human abdomen
*
Peritoneum
The peritoneum is the serous membrane forming the lining of the abdominal cavity or coelom in amniotes and some invertebrates, such as annelids. It covers most of the intra-abdominal (or coelomic) organs, and is composed of a layer of mes ...
*
Terms for anatomical location
References
External links
* - "Skeleton of the Abdomen", Wesley Norman, PhD, DSc
*
Anterolateral Abdominal Wall-
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1 ...
Faculty of Medicine
Muscles of the Anterior Abdominal Wall-
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkans ...
YouTube video of abdominal wall form Colorectal Disease Journal
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Abdomen