Medial umbilical ligament
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
The medial umbilical ligament is a paired structure found in human anatomy. It is on the deep surface of the anterior abdominal wall, and is covered by the medial umbilical folds.
Origins
It represents the remnant of the fetal umbilical artery, which serves no purpose in humans after birth. In an adult it will be shrivelled.
Functions
It may be used as a landmark for surgeons exploring the medial inguinal fossa during laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Other than this, it has no purpose in an adult and it may be cut or damaged with impunity.
Relations
The supravesical fossa, and therefore a supravesical hernia, is medial to this structure. The medial inguinal fossa, and therefore a direct inguinal hernia, is lateral to it.
See also
- median umbilical ligament (which is a different structure)
- lateral umbilical ligament
External links
- Medial umbilical ligament
- Template:SUNYAnatomyFigs - "The inguinal canal and derivation of the layers of the spermatic cord."
- Template:SUNYAnatomyImage
- Template:SUNYAnatomyImage
- Medial umbilical fold
- Template:SUNYAnatomyFigs - "Internal surface of the anterior abdominal wall."
Additional images
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Dissection of side wall of pelvis showing sacral and pudendal plexuses.
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Inguinal fossae
