The pubic tubercle is a prominent

tubercle In anatomy, a tubercle (literally 'small tuber', Latin for 'lump') is any round nodule, small eminence, or warty outgrowth found on external or internal organs of a plant or an animal. In plants A tubercle is generally a wart-like projection ...

on the superior ramus of the

pubis 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 ...

of the

pelvis The pelvis (plural pelves or pelvises) is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the thighs (sometimes also called pelvic region), together with its embedded skeleton (sometimes also called bony pelvis, or pelvic skeleton). The ...

Structure

The pubic tubercle is a prominent forward-projecting

on the upper border of the medial portion of the superior ramus of the

. 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 ...

attaches to it. Part of the

abdominal external oblique muscle The abdominal external oblique muscle (also external oblique muscle, or exterior oblique) is the largest and outermost of the three flat abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen. Structure The external oblique is situated on the latera ...

inserts onto it. The

inferior epigastric artery In human anatomy, inferior epigastric artery refers to the artery that arises from the external iliac artery. It anastomoses with the superior epigastric artery. Along its course, it is accompanied by a similarly named vein, the inferior epig ...

passes between the pubic tubercle and 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 i ...

. The pubic spine is a rough ridge that extends from the pubic tubercle to the upper border of the pubic symphysis.

Clinical significance

The pubic tubercle may be palpated. It serves as a landmark for

local anaesthetic A local anesthetic (LA) is a medication that causes absence of pain sensation. In the context of surgery, a local anesthetic creates an absence of pain in a specific location of the body without a loss of consciousness, as opposed to a general a ...

of the genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve, which lies slightly lateral to the pubic tubercle. This may also be used for the

obturator nerve The obturator nerve in human anatomy arises from the ventral divisions of the second, third, and fourth lumbar nerves in the lumbar plexus; the branch from the third is the largest, while that from the second is often very small. Structure The o ...

Hernias

The pubic tubercle is a useful landmark for identifying hernias. An inguinal hernia will lie anteromedial to the pubic tubercle. A femoral hernia will lie inferolateral to the pubic tubercle.

References

External links

* - "Anterior Abdominal Wall: Osteology and Surface Anatomy" * - "The Male Pelvis: Hip Bone" * - "The Coverings of the Inguinal Canal, External & Internal Oblique & Transversus Abdominis Removed" * (, , )
Photo at nysora.com

Article and diagram at studentbmj.com
{{Authority control Skeletal system Bones of the pelvis Pubis (bone)