| 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) |
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| 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) |
| 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) |
| lateral crus of the superficial inguinal ring | Portion of the external oblique aponeurosis which passes lateral to the superficial inguinal ring blending into the inguinal ligament and forming the lateral boundary of the ring. Synonym: crus laterale anuli inguinalis superficialis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| lateral inguinal fossa | A depression on the peritoneal surface of the anterior abdominal wall lateral to the ridge formed by the inferior epigastric artery; it corresponds to the position of the deep inguinal ring, and is the site of an indirect inguinal hernia. Synonym: fossa inguinalis lateralis. (05 Mar 2000) |