External spermatic fascia | |
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Details | |
Identifiers | |
Latin | fascia spermatica externa |
Anatomical terminology |
The external spermatic fascia (intercrural or intercolumnar fascia) is a thin membrane, prolonged downward around the surface of the spermatic cord and testis. It is separated from the dartos tunic by loose areolar tissue. It is occasionally referred to as 'Le Fascia de Webster' after an anatomist who once described it.
The external spermatic fascia is derived from the aponeurosis of the abdominal external oblique muscle. [1] [2] It is acquired by the spermatic cord at the superficial inguinal ring. [1]
The inguinal canal is a passage in the anterior abdominal wall on each side of the body which in males convey the spermatic cords and in females the round ligament of the uterus. The inguinal canals are larger and more prominent in males.
The genitofemoral nerve is a mixed branch of the lumbar plexus derived from anterior rami of L1-L2. It splits a genital branch and a femoral branch. It provides sensory innervation to the upper anterior thigh, as well as the skin of the anterior scrotum in males and mons pubis in females. It also provides motor innervation to the cremaster muscle.
Pectoralis minor muscle is a thin, triangular muscle, situated at the upper part of the chest, beneath the pectoralis major in the human body. It arises from ribs III-V; it inserts onto the coracoid process of the scapula. It is innervated by the medial pectoral nerve. Its function is to stabilise the scapula by holding it fast in position against the chest wall.
The internal obturator muscle or obturator internus muscle originates on the medial surface of the obturator membrane, the ischium near the membrane, and the rim of the pubis.
The posterior tibial artery of the lower limb is an artery that carries blood to the posterior compartment of the leg and plantar surface of the foot. It branches from the popliteal artery via the tibial-fibular trunk.
The external iliac arteries are two major arteries which bifurcate off the common iliac arteries anterior to the sacroiliac joint of the pelvis.
The anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) is a bony projection of the iliac bone, and an important landmark of surface anatomy. It refers to the anterior extremity of the iliac crest of the pelvis. It provides attachment for the inguinal ligament, and the sartorius muscle. The tensor fasciae latae muscle attaches to the lateral aspect of the superior anterior iliac spine, and also about 5 cm away at the iliac tubercle.
In human anatomy, the inferior epigastric artery is an artery that arises from the external iliac artery. It is accompanied by the inferior epigastric vein; inferiorly, these two inferior epigastric vessels together travel within the lateral umbilical fold The inferior epigastric artery then traverses the arcuate line of rectus sheath to enter the rectus sheath, then anastomoses with the superior epigastric artery within the rectus sheath.
The lingual artery arises from the external carotid artery between the superior thyroid artery and facial artery. It can be located easily in the tongue.
The inferior rectal artery is an artery that supplies blood to the lower third of the anal canal below the pectinate line.
The innermost intercostal muscle is a layer of intercostal muscles. It may also be called the intima of the internal intercostal muscles. It is the deepest muscular layer of the thorax, with muscle fibres running vertically. It is present only in the middle of each intercostal space, and often not present higher up the rib cage. It lies deep to the plane that contains the intercostal nerves and intercostal vessels, and the internal intercostal muscles. The diaphragm is continuous with the innermost intercostal muscle.
The intercostal space (ICS) is the anatomic space between two ribs. Since there are 12 ribs on each side, there are 11 intercostal spaces, each numbered for the rib superior to it.
The transversalis fascia is the fascial lining of the anterolateral abdominal wall situated between the inner surface of the transverse abdominal muscle, and the preperitoneal fascia. It is directly continuous with the iliac fascia, the internal spermatic fascia, and pelvic fascia.
The pubic tubercle is a prominent tubercle on the superior ramus of the pubis bone of the pelvis.
The superior rectal artery is an artery that descends into the pelvis to supply blood to the rectum.
The medial umbilical ligament is a paired structure found in human anatomy. It is on the deep surface of the anterior abdominal wall, and is covered by the medial umbilical folds. It is different from the median umbilical ligament, a structure that represents the remnant of the embryonic urachus.
The intercrural fibers are a series of curved tendinous fibers, which arch across the lower part of the aponeurosis of the Obliquus externus, describing curves with the convexities downward.
The cremasteric fascia is a fascia in the scrotum. As the cremaster descends, it forms a series of loops which differ in thickness and length in different subjects. At the upper part of the cord the loops are short, but they become in succession longer and longer, the longest reaching down as low as the testis, where a few are inserted into the tunica vaginalis. These loops are united together by areolar tissue, and form a thin covering over the cord and testis, the cremasteric fascia.
The internal spermatic fascia is a thin layer, which loosely invests the spermatic cord.
The genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve, also known as the external spermatic nerve in males, is a nerve in the abdomen that arises from the genitofemoral nerve. The genital branch supplies the cremaster muscle and anterior scrotal skin in males, and the skin of the mons pubis and labia majora in females.
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 1238 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)