668 A MANUAL OF ANATOMY 



being of smaller size, and in containing the round ligament of the 

 uterus. 



Triangle of Hesselbach. — This triangle is situated at the lower 

 part of the anterior abdominal wall above the inner half of Poupart's 

 ligament. 



Boundaries — Internal. — ^The outer border of the rectus abdominis 

 over about its lower 2 inches. External. — The deep epigastric 

 vessels. Inferior (base). — ^The inner half of Poupart's ligament. 

 The apex corresponds with the point where the deep epigastric 

 vessels pass beneath the outer border of the rectus. The floor is 

 covered over its whole extent by the fascia transversalis, superficial 

 to which, over the inner two-thirds, is the conjoined tendon, and over 

 the outer third, sometimes the reflected tendon of Cooper. The 

 floor is, therefore, conveniently divided into an inner two-thirds, 

 where the conjoined tendon lies, and an outer third, where the re- 

 flected tendon of Cooper may be situated. The triangle is covered 

 superficially by the skin, the fasciae of Camper and of Scarpa, and 

 the external oblique aponeurosis. 



Spermatic Cord. — ^The spermatic cord extends from the internal 

 abdominal ring to the upper part of the posterior border of 

 the testis. For the fii^st i^ inches of its course it lies in the 

 inguinal canal, and is directed downwards, forwards, and in- 

 wards. After passing through the external abdominal ring it 

 enters the scrotum, in which it descends almost vertically. The 

 relations of the cord in the inguinal canal will be understood on 

 referring to the description of that canal. In the lower two-thirds 

 of the canal it is accompanied by the inguinal nerve. 



The spermatic cord is composed of the following structures : the 

 vas deferens or excretory duct of the testis ; three arteries, namely, 

 the spermatic artery, the artery of the vas deferens, and the 

 cremasteric artery ; the spermatic or pampiniform plexus of veins ; 

 the lymphatics of the testis and epididymis ; the spermatic plexus 

 of sympathetic nerves ; and the genital branch of the genito- 

 crural nerve. These structures are connected by areolar tissue, 

 and the cord receives certain coverings to be presently described. 



The vas deferens is the excretory duct of the testis. It com- 

 mences at the lower end or globus minor of the epididymis, 

 and terminates at the base of the prostate gland by joining 

 the duct of the vesicula seminalis to form the common ejacu- 

 latory duct. This latter duct, having passed through the prostate 

 gland for about i inch, opens upon (sometimes within) the margin 

 of the opening of the sinus pocularis or prostatic vesicle on the 

 floor of the prostatic portion of the urethra. The vas deferens at 

 its commencement is slightly tortuous, but it soon becomes straight. 

 It lies at first on the inner side of the epididymis, and along the pos- 

 terior border of the testis. After entering the cord it is placed 

 behind all the other elements, where it can be readily felt. It main- 

 tains this position until it arrives at the internal abdominal ring, 

 where it lies on the inner side of the other elements of the cord. 



