The iliopubic tract is a thickened band of fibers curving over the external iliac vessels, at the spot where they become femoral, on the abdominal side of 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 dev ...

s and loosely connected with it. It is apparently a thickening of the

transversalis fascia The transversalis fascia (or transverse fascia) is a thin aponeurotic membrane of the abdomen. It lies between the inner surface of the transverse abdominal muscle and the parietal peritoneum. It forms part of the general layer of fascia lining ...

joined laterally to the iliac crest, and arching across the front of the

femoral sheath The femoral sheath (also called the crural sheath) is a funnel-shaped downward extension of abdominal fascia within which the femoral artery and femoral vein pass between the abdomen and the thigh. The femoral sheath is subdivided by two vertical ...

to be inserted by a broad attachment into the

pubic tubercle The pubic tubercle is a prominent tubercle on the superior ramus of the pubis bone of the pelvis. Structure The pubic tubercle is a prominent forward-projecting tubercle on the upper border of the medial portion of the superior ramus of th ...

and pectineal line, behind the

conjoint tendon The conjoint tendon (previously known as the inguinal aponeurotic falx) is a sheath of connective tissue formed from the lower part of the common aponeurosis of the abdominal internal oblique muscle and the transversus abdominis muscle, joining th ...

. In some subjects this structure is not very prominently marked, and not infrequently it is altogether wanting. It can be of clinical significance in

hernia repair Hernia repair refers to a surgical operation for the correction of a hernia—a bulging of internal organs or tissues through the wall that contains it. It can be of two different types: herniorrhaphy; or hernioplasty. This operation may be perfo ...

References

External links

Iliopubic Tract Hernia Repair Images at vesalius.com
Abdomen {{muscle-stub