404 DISSECTION OF THE ABDOMEN. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



DISSECTION OF THE ABDOMEN. 



SECTION I. 



WALL OF THE ABDOMEN. 



THE examination of the abdomen is 'to proceed as far as the end of 

 Section III. before the body is turned for the dissection of the Back. 



Position. The body will be sufficiently raised by blocks beneath the 

 thorax and head for the dissection of the upper limbs and neck, but the 

 dissector should see that the chest is higher than the pelvis. If the ab- 

 domen is flaccid, let it be inflated by an aperture through the umbilicus, 

 but if it is firm, proceed with the dissection without blowing it up. 



Surface-marking. On its anterior aspect the abdomen is for the most 

 part convex, especially in fat bodies ; but on the sides, between the ribs 

 and the crista ilii, the surface is somewhat depressed. Along the middle 

 line is a slight groove over the linea alba, which presents tibout its centre 

 the hollow of the umbilicus. Inferiorly the groove ceases a little above 

 the pelvis in the prominence of the pubes ; and superiorly it subsides 

 below the ensiform cartilage in a hollow named the epigastric fossa. On 

 each side of the middle line is the projection of the rectus muscle, and 

 this is intersected in adult well-formed bodies by two or three transverse 

 lines 



Underneath the eminence of the pubes the student will be able to recog- 

 nize with his finger the symphysis pubis, and to trace outwards from it 

 the osseous pubic crest which leads to the pubic spinous process. Bather 

 above and to the outside of the pubes, the opening of the external abdomi- 

 nal ring may be felt ; and the prominence of the spermatic cord descend- 

 ing through it to the testicle may be detected. The internal abdominal 

 ring is still to the outer side, though it cannot be recognized on the sur- 

 face with the finger ; but its position may be ascertained by taking a point 

 midway between the symphysis pubis and the crest of the innominate 

 bone, and a little above Poupart's ligament. 



If the finger is carried upwards and outwards between the abdomen 

 and the thigh, it will detect the firm band of Poupart's ligament, and 

 sometimes one or two inguinal glands. 



Dissection. The requisite incisions for raising the skin from the sides 

 and front of the belly are the following : One cut is to extend outwards 

 over the side of the chest from the ensiform cartilage to about midway 

 between the sternum and the spine. A second incision is to be begun in 

 the middle line midway between the umbilicus and the pubes, and to be 

 carried outwards to the iliac crest, and along the crest till it ends opposite 

 the first cut. Lastly, the hinder extremities of the two incisions are to 



