The inguinal ligament (), also known as Poupart's ligament or groin ligament, is a band running from 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 the ...

to the

anterior superior iliac spine The anterior superior iliac spine (abbreviated: 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 ing ...

. It forms the base of the

inguinal canal The inguinal canals are the two passages in the anterior abdominal wall of humans and animals 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. ...

through which an

indirect inguinal hernia An inguinal hernia is a hernia (protrusion) of abdominal cavity, abdominal-cavity contents through the inguinal canal. Symptoms, which may include pain or discomfort especially with or following coughing, exercise, or bowel movements, are absent ...

may develop.

Structure

The inguinal ligament runs from the anterior superior iliac crest of the ilium to the

of the

pubic bone In vertebrates, the pubic region ( la, pubis) is the most forward-facing ( ventral and anterior) of the three main regions making up the coxal bone. The left and right pubic regions are each made up of three sections, a superior ramus, inferior ...

. It is formed by the external abdominal oblique

aponeurosis An aponeurosis (; plural: ''aponeuroses'') is a type or a variant of the deep fascia, in the form of a sheet of pearly-white fibrous tissue that attaches sheet-like muscles needing a wide area of attachment. Their primary function is to join musc ...

and is continuous with the fascia lata of the thigh. There is some dispute over the attachments. Structures that pass deep to the inguinal ligament include: *

Psoas major The psoas major ( or ; from grc, ψόᾱ, psóā, muscles of the loins) is a long fusiform muscle located in the lateral lumbar region between the vertebral column and the brim of the lesser pelvis. It joins the iliacus muscle to form the iliop ...

iliacus The iliacus is a flat, triangular muscle which fills the iliac fossa. It forms the lateral portion of iliopsoas, providing flexion of the thigh and lower limb at the acetabulofemoral joint. Structure The iliacus arises from the iliac fossa on ...

, pectineus *

Femoral nerve The femoral nerve is a nerve in the thigh that supplies skin on the upper thigh and inner leg, and the muscles that extend the knee. Structure The femoral nerve is the major nerve supplying the anterior compartment of the thigh. It is the largest ...

artery An artery (plural arteries) () is a blood vessel in humans and most animals that takes blood away from the heart to one or more parts of the body (tissues, lungs, brain etc.). Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the two exceptions are the pul ...

, and

vein Veins are blood vessels in humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated b ...

Lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh The lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh (also called the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve) is a cutaneous nerve of the thigh. It originates from the dorsal divisions of the second and third lumbar nerves from the lumbar plexus. It passes under ...

*Lymphatics

Function

The ligament serves to contain soft tissues as they course anteriorly from the trunk to the lower extremity. This structure demarcates the superior border of the

femoral triangle The femoral triangle (or Scarpa's triangle) is an anatomical region of the upper third of the thigh. It is a subfascial space which appears as a triangular depression below the inguinal ligament when the thigh is flexed, abducted and laterally rot ...

. It demarcates the inferior border of the

inguinal triangle In human anatomy, the inguinal triangle is a region of the abdominal wall. It is also known by the eponym Hesselbach's triangle, after Franz Kaspar Hesselbach. Structure It is defined by the following structures: * Medial border: Lateral margi ...

. The midpoint of the inguinal ligament, halfway between the anterior superior iliac spine and pubic tubercle, is the landmark for the femoral nerve. The mid-inguinal point, halfway between the anterior superior iliac spine and the pubic symphysis, is the landmark for the femoral artery. The external iliac arteries pass the inguinal ligament posteriorly and inferiorly.

History

It is also referred to as Poupart's ligament, because

François Poupart François Poupart (1661–1709) French physician, anatomist and entomologist. He described Poupart's ligament, which had been discovered by Gabriele Falloppio. In 1789, botanists published '' Poupartia'' a genus of plants from Islands in the Ind ...

gave it relevance in relation to hernial repair, calling it "the suspender of the abdomen" (french: "le suspenseur de l'abdomen"). It is sometimes termed the Fallopian ligament.

Colles' 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 ...

is the reflex ligament and not the inguinal ligament.F. Poupart. Chirurgie complète. Paris, 1695.

Additional images

File:Gray319.png, Ligaments of pelvis. Anterior view. File:Gray321.png, File:Gray393.png, The subcutaneous inguinal ring. File:Gray545.png, Femoral sheath laid open to show its three compartments. File:Gray547.png, The relations of the femoral and abdominal inguinal rings, seen from within the abdomen. Right side. File:Gray549.png, The left femoral triangle. File:Gray1036.png, Posterior view of the anterior abdominal wall in its lower half. The peritoneum is in place, and the various cords are shining through. File:Slide1GGGGG.JPG, Inguinal ligament File:Slide12LLLL.JPG, Inguinal ligament

References

External links