THE TRANSVERSALIS FASCIA. 275 



The ILIO-HYPOGASTRIC NERVE ( 2 ) perforates the back of the iiio-hypo- 

 transversalis muscle near the iliac crest, and divides into iliac and JJJ^ 

 hypogastric branches. 



The iliac branch pierces both oblique muscles close to the crest of iliac part 

 the ilium, to reach the gluteal region (p. 263). 



The hypogastric branch is directed forwards above the hip-bone, and hypo- 

 giving twigs to the transverse and internal oblique muscles, and ga 

 communicating with the ilio-inguinal nerve. It perforates the 

 fleshy part of the internal oblique near the front of the iliac crest, 

 and the aponeurosis of the external oblique near the linea alba and 

 finally becomes cutaneous in the hypogastric region (p. 264). 



The ILIO-INGUINAL NERVE perforates the transversalis muscle near iiio-iuguinal 

 the front of the iliac crest. It afterwards pierces the internal ue 

 oblique, and reaches the surface through the external abdominal 

 ring (p. 264) : on its way it furnishes offsets to the internal oblique, 

 the transversalis, and the pyramidalis. 



Dissection, To see the transversalis fascia on the right side, it Dissection 

 will be necessary to raise the lower part of the transversalis muscle 

 by two incisions : one of these is to be carried through the fibres 

 attached to Poupart's ligament ; the other, across the muscle from 

 the front of the iliac crest to the margin of the rectus. With a little 

 care the muscle may be separated easily from the thin fascia beneath. 



The TRANSVERSALIS FASCIA is a thin fibrous layer between the Transver- 

 transversalis muscle and the peritoneum. In the inguinal region, salis fascia 

 where it is unsupported by muscles, the fascia is considerably 

 stronger than elsewhere, and is joined by some tendinous fibres of is best 

 the transversalis muscle ; but farther from the pelvis it gradually 

 decreases in strength, until at the thorax it becomes very thin. 



In the part of the fascia now laid bare is the internal abdominal pierced by 

 ring, which gives passage to the spermatic cord, or the round liga- abdominal 

 ment of the uterus, according to the sex ; it resembles the hole into rin g- 

 the finger of a glove in being visible from within, but not externally, 

 owing to the fascia being prolonged from its margin on to the cord. 

 On the inner side of the ring the fascia is thinner than on the outer, 

 and is fixed to the body of the pubis and to the ilio-pectineal line 

 behind the conjoined tendon, with which it is united. 



Along the outer half of Poupart's ligament the fascia ends by Ending of 

 joining the posterior margin of that band, and it will be afterwards fasciabelow - 

 seen to unite with the iliac fascia for the same extent, but beneath 

 the inner half of the ligament it is continued downwards to the 

 thigh, in front of the blood-vessels, to form the anterior part of the 

 crural sheath around them. 



Internal abdominal ring (fig. 105, p. 286, and fig. 106, p. 287). Situation 

 This opening is situate midway between the symphysis pubis and S^Snai 

 the anterior superior iliac spine, and half an inch above Poupart's ring- 

 ligament. From its margin a thin tubular prolongation of the 

 transversalis fascia (infundibuliform fascia) is continued around 

 the cord as before said. 



Dissection. The tubular prolongation on the cord may be traced Dissection 



T 2 process on 



cord. 



