Fascia and cellular spaces of the abdomen

The superficial fascia, which separates the abdominal muscles from the subcutaneous tissue, is poorly expressed in the upper sections.

The proper fascia (fascia propria) forms several plates corresponding to the layers of the abdominal wall muscles. The most strongly developed is the superficial plate, covering the external oblique muscle of the abdomen from the outside. In the area of the superficial ring of the inguinal canal, the connective tissue fibers of this plate form the intercrural fibers (fibrae intercrurales). Attaching to the outer lip of the iliac crest and the inguinal ligament, the superficial plate at the superficial ring of the inguinal canal embraces the spermatic cord and continues into the fascia of the muscle that lifts the testicle (fascia cremasterica). The other two plates of the proper fascia, directly adjacent to the internal oblique muscle of the abdomen from its anterior and posterior surfaces, are less pronounced and are difficult to separate from the perimysium of this muscle.

The transverse fascia (fascia transversalis) covers the anterior and lateral walls of the abdominal cavity from the inside and thus forms the majority of the internal (intra-abdominal) fascia of the abdomen (fascia endoabdominalis). This fascia, lining the walls of the abdominal cavity from the inside, corresponds to the formations that it covers and receives special names (diaphragmatic fascia, fascia diafragmaticii, fascia of the large lumbar muscle, etc.).

Within the upper sections of the anterior abdominal wall, the transverse fascia covers the inner surface of the muscle of the same name and is part of the posterior wall of the sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle. At the level of the lower border of the abdomen, this fascia is attached to the inguinal ligament and the inner lip of the iliac crest. Medially, at the lower part of the white line of the abdomen, this fascia is reinforced by fibrous longitudinally oriented bundles that form the "support" of the white line (adminiculum lineae albae). Below the level of the arcuate line (linea arcuatae), the transverse (intra-abdominal) fascia directly forms the posterior wall of the sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle. Above the middle of the inguinal ligament, 1.5 cm above it, the fascia has an oval-shaped depression, which is a deep ring of the inguinal canal. The transverse fascia is covered from the inside, from the side of the abdominal cavity, by the peritoneum, which has a complex relief, especially in the lower sections of the anterior abdominal steppe. Here, above the level of the inguinal ligament, on both sides of the anterior midline, there are three pits, separated from each other by well-defined longitudinal folds formed by arteries that lift the intra-abdominal fascia (and peritoneum) in these places.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ], [ 4 ]