What is the anterolateral abdominal wall?
The anterolateral abdominal wall consists of four main layers (external to internal): skin, superficial fascia, muscles and associated fascia, and parietal peritoneum. In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the anterolateral abdominal wall – its musculature, surface anatomy and clinical correlations.
Where is the lateral abdominal wall?
The lateral abdominal wall territory has been described horizontally as the region from the linea semilunaris to the posterior paraspinal muscles. The vertical extent of this area is from the costal margin to the iliac crest.
What nerve supplies the abdominal wall?
The subcostal nerve runs along the border of the 12th rib until it passes into the abdominal wall and runs through the second and third muscular layers. The subcostal nerve innervates the inferior portion of the external oblique, skin, superior region to the inguinal crest, and inferior to the umbilicus.
What is an anterior abdominal wall mass?
Anterior abdominal wall hematomas usually occur in the rectus abdominis muscle and result from damage, such as a trauma or surgical intervention, to the superior or inferior epigastric arteries or direct tearing of the rectus muscle. Other uncommon reasons are clotting deficiency or anticoagulant treatment.
Where is the anterior abdominal wall located?
The muscles of the anterior abdominal wall are located near the midline between the costal margin superiorly and the pubis inferiorly. There are two pairs of muscles, each located immediately lateral to the linea alba. The majority of the anterior abdominal wall is formed by the rectus abdominis muscle.
What is the purpose of the abdominal wall?
The major functions of the abdominal wall include: Providing a durable and flexible covering to prevent the abdominal viscera from leaving the abdominal cavity. Protecting internal abdominal organs from trauma/injury. Maintaining the anatomical position of the abdominal organs.
What is considered the abdominal wall?
The abdominal wall is defined cranially by the xiphoid process of the sternum and the costal margins and caudally by the iliac and pubic bones of the pelvis. It extends to the lumbar spine, which joins the thorax and pelvis and is a point of attachment for some abdominal wall structures [1].
What spinal nerves affect abdominal muscles?
The abdominal wall nerves control the majority of these core muscles and provide feeling to the abdominal skin and groin areas. Four major nerves are largely responsible for these actions, including the thoraco-abdominal (T7-T11), subcostal (T12), iliohypogastric (T12-L1), and ilioinguinal (L1) nerves.
What is abdominal wall pain?
Chronic abdominal wall pain (CAWP) refers to the pain originating from the abdominal wall which is often misdiagnosed as arising from a source inside the abdominal cavity, often resulting in inappropriate diagnostic investigations, unsatisfactory treatment, and considerable costs.
How is abdominal wall pain diagnosed?
A positive Carnett test, in which tenderness stays the same or worsens when the patient tenses the abdominal muscles, suggests abdominal wall pain. A local anesthetic injection can confirm the diagnosis when there is 50% postprocedural pain improvement.
Can a lumbar bulging disc cause abdominal pain?
Lateral disc herniation. When herniating laterally, or to the side, the thoracic herniated disc is more likely to impinge on the exiting nerve root at that level of the spine and cause radiating chest wall or abdominal pain.
Can spine issues cause abdominal pain?
People with this condition often experience chronic digestive tract inflammation that resembles IBD. In rare cases , tumors of the spinal cord can cause abdominal pain. Doctors may misdiagnose the condition and mistake it for other GI problems.
What kind of doctor treats abdominal wall pain?
Grover recommends referring patients to either a gastroenterologist or pain specialist if CAWP is suspected.
Does abdominal xray show tumor?
An abdominal X-ray may help doctors find the cause of belly pain or vomiting. It can sometimes detect kidney stones, an obstruction (blockage), a perforation (hole) in the intestines, or a mass such as a tumor. Sometimes, the X-ray can show a swallowed foreign object (such as a coin).