Rectus sheath
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Citation:
Knipe H, Hacking C, Tromp D, Rectus sheath. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 06 Dec 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-24537
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24537
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At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
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At the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.
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The rectus sheath encloses the rectus abdominis and pyramidalis muscles and forms an important component of the anterior abdominal wall.
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Gross anatomy
The rectus sheath is composed of the aponeuroses of transversus abdominis, external oblique and internal oblique muscles, which form anterior and posterior layers of the sheath that fuse laterally at the linea semilunaris and in the midline at the linea alba.
Only the middle segment of the rectus abdominis is completely enclosed. The anterior layer passes anterior to the rectus abdominis and is formed by the fusion of the external oblique and anterior layer of the internal oblique aponeuroses. The posterior layer passes posterior to the rectus abdominis and is formed by the fusion of the posterior layer of the internal oblique and transversus aponeuroses. The posterior sheath is lacking in parts of the above and below this middle segment:
- superior to the costal margin the aponeuroses are deficient because they either do not extend that far superiorly (internal and external oblique muscles) or attach to the costal margin (transversus abdominis)
- inferior to the arcuate line, the internal oblique aponeurosis passes anterior to the rectus abdominis and since the other two aponeurosis are fused to it, the posterior surface of rectus abdominis is in contact with the transversalis fascia
Contents
- rectus abdominis and pyramidalis muscles
- lower 6 thoracic nerves and accompanying branches of the posterior intercostal vessels
- superior and inferior epigastric vessels
Related pathology
References
- 1. Rosse C, Gaddum-Rosse P. Hollinshead's textbook of anatomy. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (1997) ISBN:0397512562. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Lovering RM, Anderson LD. Architecture and fiber type of the pyramidalis muscle. Anat Sci Int. 2008;83 (4): 294-7. doi:10.1111/j.1447-073X.2007.00226.x - Free text at pubmed - Pubmed citation
- 3. Felfel, M., Khoury, M.E., Marboeuf, Y., Strohl, D. and Menu, Y., 2005. Incarcerated hernia through the posterior rectus sheath. American Journal of Roentgenology, 185(5), pp.1185-1186.
- 4. Mcminn. Last's Anatomy. (2003) ISBN: 9780729537520
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Pyramidalis muscle
- External oblique muscle
- Axillary lymph nodes
- Linea alba
- Internal oblique muscle
- Anterior abdominal wall
- Transversalis fascia
- Pectoralis major muscle
- Superior epigastric artery
- Arcuate line
- Rectus sheath hernia
- Lymphatic drainage of the breast
- Anterior pararenal space
- Scarpa fascia
- Rectus abdominis muscle
- Rectus sheath haematoma
- Inferior epigastric artery
Cases:
- Rectus abdominis muscle desmoid tumor
- Rectus sheath (Gray's illustrations)
- Rectus sheath (diagram)
- Rectus sheath hematoma
- Caesarean section scar endometrioma
- Rectus sheath haematoma
- Bilateral rectus sheath haematomas
- Posterior rectus sheath hernia
- Rectus sheath haematoma - post-operative
- Rectus sheath haematoma
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kidney
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