| inguinal canal | A passage in the lower anterior abdominal wall which in the male allows passage of the spermatic cord and in the female contains the round ligament. Because of the weakness it creates in the abdominal wall, it is the most frequent site for a hernia. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| inguinal crest | An elevation in the body wall of the embryo at the internal opening of the inguinal canal; part of the gubernaculum testis develops within it. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inguinal fold | An embryonic mesodermal thickening that joins the caudal end of the urogenital ridge to the anterior abdominal wall; the gubernaculum of the testis develops in it. Synonym: inguinal fold. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inguinal fossa | See: lateral inguinal fossa, medial inguinal fossa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inguinal glands | See: deep inguinal lymph nodes, superficial inguinal lymph nodes. Internal salivary gland, the sublingual and submandibular gland's regarded as one. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inguinal hernia | <surgery> The abnormal passage of an internal abdominal organ or structure through the inguinal canal. In males, this will result in a unilateral bulge in the scrotum, in females there will be unilateral swelling in the region of the labia majora. Inguinal hernias are classified as direct or indirect on the basis of the anatomic path the hernia undertakes through the inguinal canal. Many hernias will reduce (go away) on their own but return at times of straining or lifting. A hernia that does not go away and causes pain is a surgical emergency. (27 Sep 1997) |
| inguinal ligament | <anatomy> A fibrous band formed by the thickened inferior border of the aponeurosis of the external oblique that extends from the anterior superior spine of the ilium to the pubic tubercle bridging, muscular and vascular lacunae;forms the floor of the inguinal canal; gives origin to the lowermost fibres of internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles. See: aponeurosis of external abdominal oblique muscle. Synonym: ligamentum inguinale, arcus inguinalis, crural arch, fallopian arch, fallopian ligament, femoral arch, Poupart's ligament. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inguinal ligament of the kidney | The segment of the mesonephros extending to the inguinal region. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inguinal orchiectomy | Surgery to remove the testicle through the groin. (12 Dec 1998) |
| inguinal plexus | A lymphatic plexus formed of 10 to 15 lymph nodes with their connecting vessels lying superficially near the termination of the great saphenous vein and more deeply along the femoral artery and vein. See: superficial inguinal lymph nodes. Synonym: plexus inguinalis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inguinal region | The topographical area of the inferior abdomen related to the inguinal canal, lateral to the pubic region. Synonym: regio inguinalis, groin, iliac region, inguen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inguinal triangle | The triangular area in the lower abdominal wall bounded by the inguinal ligament below, the border of the rectus abdominis medially and the inferior epigastric vessels (lateral umbilical fold) laterally. It is the site of direct inguinal hernia. Synonym: trigonum inguinale, Hesselbach's triangle, inguinal trigone. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inguinal trigone | The triangular area in the lower abdominal wall bounded by the inguinal ligament below, the border of the rectus abdominis medially and the inferior epigastric vessels (lateral umbilical fold) laterally. It is the site of direct inguinal hernia. Synonym: trigonum inguinale, Hesselbach's triangle, inguinal trigone. (05 Mar 2000) |
| internal inguinal ring | The opening in the transversalis fascia through which the ductus deferens (or round ligament in the female) and gonadal vessels enter the inguinal canal. Located midway between anterior superior iliac spine and pubic tubercle, it is bounded medially by the lateral umbilical ligament (inferior epigastric vessels) and inferiorly by the inguinal ligament. Indirect inguinal hernias exit the abdominal cavity via the deep inguinal ring Synonym: annulus inguinalis profundus, abdominal ring, annulus abdominalis, internal inguinal ring. (05 Mar 2000) |
| external inguinal ring | The slit-like opening in the aponeurosis of the external oblique muscle of the abdominal wall through which the spermatic cord (round ligament in the female) and inguinal hernias emerge from the inguinal canal. See: aponeurosis of external abdominal oblique muscle. Synonym: annulus inguinalis superficialis, external inguinal ring, subcutaneous ring. (05 Mar 2000) |