ABDOMEN
Surface Anatomy
T9 – Xiphoid
L1 – Transpyloric plane {passes through tips of 9th costal cartilage (bears a distinctive step)
anteriorly and lower border of L1 posteriorly)}
*Lies halfway between the suprasternal notch & the top of the pubis /a hand’s breadth below the
xiphoid
*transpyloric plane passes through,
1. Pylorus of stomach 5. Termination of spinal cord
2. Hila of the kidneys 6. Duodenojejunal flexure
3. Fundus of gall bladder 7. Origin of superior mesenteric artery
4. Neck of pancreas 8. Tip of 9th costal cartilage
9. Splenic vein → portal vein
Mnemonic-
Please - pylorus
Feed – fundus of gall bladder
Him – hilum of the kidney
Some – origin of superior mesenteric artery
Love – lower end of spinal cord
L3 – Subcostal plane (inferior margin of 10 rib)
1. Origin of Inferior Mesenteric artery
L4 – Plane of highest point of iliac crest (supracristal plane)
1. Bifurcation of aorta
2. Lumbar puncture
L3-L4 (Inter vertebral disc)
1. Umbilicus
L5-Transtubercular plane (passes through tubercles of iliac crest)
Bifurcation of common iliac artery
Liver (Points)
th
1. Tip of right 10 rib in midaxillary line
th
2. Left 5 intercostal space in midclavicular line
3. Right 5th intercostal space in mid axillary line
*Not palpable in normal subjects
Spleen (Points)–Left side
th
1. Axis – 10 rib directed downwards, forwards and laterally
th
2. Upper border – upper border of 9 rib
th
3. Lower border – lower border of 11 rib
4. Medial end – 2 inches from midline *Must be enlarged 3 times than normal to be
5. Lateral end – Mid axillary line palpated
Fundus of Gallbladder (Right side)
th th
1. Tip of 9 costal cartilage (at the intersection of9 costal cartilage & lateral border of rectus abdominis)
1
, Kidney
Hilum-on the transpyloric plane 4 fingers’ breadth from the midline
*This plane passes through the upper part of the hilum of the right kidney & through the lower part of
the left kidney
* Two horizontal lines
1. Level of upper border of T12
2. Level of center of L3
*Right kidney is 1 inch lower than the left
*Left kidney is nearer to the median plane
Anterior Abdominal wall
Midclavicular line
Transpyloric plane
Transtubercular plane
Layers of the wall
a. Skin
b. Superficial fascia
c. Muscles - External Oblique, Internal Oblique, Transversus abdominis
d. Fascia Transversalis
e. Extra peritoneal fat
f. Parietal peritoneum
Abdomen has no deep fascia**
▬Superficial
9 fascia
2 layers below Umbilicus Camper’s Fascia/ superficial fatty layer
Penis – Devoid of fat
Scrotum – Replaced by Dartos muscle
Scarpa’s fascia/ deep membranous layer
Scarpa’s fascia
Goes to corona of penis Over scrotum Over perineum Goes over the inguinal
(junction between neck and ligament and blends with
shaft of the penis fascia lata (Holden’s line)
Dartos fascia Colles’ fascia
Buck’s fascia
2
Surface Anatomy
T9 – Xiphoid
L1 – Transpyloric plane {passes through tips of 9th costal cartilage (bears a distinctive step)
anteriorly and lower border of L1 posteriorly)}
*Lies halfway between the suprasternal notch & the top of the pubis /a hand’s breadth below the
xiphoid
*transpyloric plane passes through,
1. Pylorus of stomach 5. Termination of spinal cord
2. Hila of the kidneys 6. Duodenojejunal flexure
3. Fundus of gall bladder 7. Origin of superior mesenteric artery
4. Neck of pancreas 8. Tip of 9th costal cartilage
9. Splenic vein → portal vein
Mnemonic-
Please - pylorus
Feed – fundus of gall bladder
Him – hilum of the kidney
Some – origin of superior mesenteric artery
Love – lower end of spinal cord
L3 – Subcostal plane (inferior margin of 10 rib)
1. Origin of Inferior Mesenteric artery
L4 – Plane of highest point of iliac crest (supracristal plane)
1. Bifurcation of aorta
2. Lumbar puncture
L3-L4 (Inter vertebral disc)
1. Umbilicus
L5-Transtubercular plane (passes through tubercles of iliac crest)
Bifurcation of common iliac artery
Liver (Points)
th
1. Tip of right 10 rib in midaxillary line
th
2. Left 5 intercostal space in midclavicular line
3. Right 5th intercostal space in mid axillary line
*Not palpable in normal subjects
Spleen (Points)–Left side
th
1. Axis – 10 rib directed downwards, forwards and laterally
th
2. Upper border – upper border of 9 rib
th
3. Lower border – lower border of 11 rib
4. Medial end – 2 inches from midline *Must be enlarged 3 times than normal to be
5. Lateral end – Mid axillary line palpated
Fundus of Gallbladder (Right side)
th th
1. Tip of 9 costal cartilage (at the intersection of9 costal cartilage & lateral border of rectus abdominis)
1
, Kidney
Hilum-on the transpyloric plane 4 fingers’ breadth from the midline
*This plane passes through the upper part of the hilum of the right kidney & through the lower part of
the left kidney
* Two horizontal lines
1. Level of upper border of T12
2. Level of center of L3
*Right kidney is 1 inch lower than the left
*Left kidney is nearer to the median plane
Anterior Abdominal wall
Midclavicular line
Transpyloric plane
Transtubercular plane
Layers of the wall
a. Skin
b. Superficial fascia
c. Muscles - External Oblique, Internal Oblique, Transversus abdominis
d. Fascia Transversalis
e. Extra peritoneal fat
f. Parietal peritoneum
Abdomen has no deep fascia**
▬Superficial
9 fascia
2 layers below Umbilicus Camper’s Fascia/ superficial fatty layer
Penis – Devoid of fat
Scrotum – Replaced by Dartos muscle
Scarpa’s fascia/ deep membranous layer
Scarpa’s fascia
Goes to corona of penis Over scrotum Over perineum Goes over the inguinal
(junction between neck and ligament and blends with
shaft of the penis fascia lata (Holden’s line)
Dartos fascia Colles’ fascia
Buck’s fascia
2
