also known as superior tendon of abdominal cavity. The conjoint tendon (previously known as the inguinal aponeurotic falx) is a sheath of

connective tissue Connective tissue is one of the four primary types of animal tissue, a group of cells that are similar in structure, along with epithelial tissue, muscle tissue, and nervous tissue. It develops mostly from the mesenchyme, derived from the mesod ...

formed from the lower part of the common

aponeurosis An aponeurosis (; : aponeuroses) is a flattened tendon by which muscle attaches to bone or fascia. Aponeuroses exhibit an ordered arrangement of collagen fibres, thus attaining high tensile strength in a particular direction while being vulnerable ...

of the abdominal internal oblique muscle and the transversus abdominis muscle, joining the muscle to the

pelvis The pelvis (: pelves or pelvises) is the lower part of an Anatomy, anatomical Trunk (anatomy), trunk, between the human abdomen, abdomen and the thighs (sometimes also called pelvic region), together with its embedded skeleton (sometimes also c ...

. It forms the medial part of the posterior wall of the inguinal canal.

Structure

The conjoint tendon is formed from the lower part of the common aponeurosis of the abdominal internal oblique muscle and the transversus abdominis muscle. It inserts into the

pubic crest Medial to the pubic tubercle is the pubic crest, which extends from this process to the medial end of the pubis (bone), pubic bone. It gives attachment to the conjoint tendon, the rectus abdominis, the abdominal external oblique muscle, and the ...

and the pectineal line immediately behind the superficial inguinal ring. It is usually conjoint with the tendon of the internal oblique muscle, but they may be separate as well. It forms the medial part of the posterior wall of the inguinal canal.

Clinical significance

The conjoint tendon serves to protect what would otherwise be a weak point in the abdominal wall. A weakening of the conjoint tendon can precipitate a direct inguinal hernia. A direct inguinal hernia will protrude through Hesselbach's triangle, whose borders are the

rectus abdominis The rectus abdominis muscle, () also known as the "abdominal muscle" or simply better known as the "abs", is a pair of segmented skeletal muscle on the ventral aspect of a person, person's abdomen. The paired muscle is separated at the midline b ...

(medially), inferior epigastric artery and inferior epigastric vein (superolaterally), and the

inguinal ligament The inguinal ligament (), also known as Poupart's ligament or groin ligament, is a band running from the pubic tubercle to the anterior superior iliac spine. It forms the base of the inguinal canal through which an indirect inguinal hernia may ...

(inferiorly). The hernia lies medial to the inferior epigastric artery. This is in contrast to an indirect inguinal hernia, which will protrude laterally to the inferior epigastric artery and is most commonly due to an embryological defect in the closure of the deep inguinal ring.

History

The conjoint tendon is also known as the inguinal aponeurotic falx, and Henle's ligament.

Additional images

File:Slide4Nemo.JPG, Anterior abdominal wall. Intermediate dissection. Anterior view

References

External links