Lacunar ligament

The lacunar ligament (also named Gimbernat’s ligament)[1] is a ligament in the inguinal region[2] that connects the inguinal ligament to the pectineal ligament[3] near the point where they both insert on the pubic tubercle.[4]

Lacunar ligament
The inguinal and lacunar ligaments. (Lacunar ligament labeled at center top.)
Details
Frominguinal ligament, pubic tubercle
Topectineal line
Identifiers
Latinligamentum lacunare (Gimbernati)
TAA04.5.01.010
FMA20184
Anatomical terminology

Anatomy

It is the part of the aponeurosis of the external oblique muscle that is reflected backward and laterally and is attached to the pectineal line of the pubis.

It is about 1.25 cm. long, larger in the male than in the female, almost horizontal in direction in the erect posture, and of a triangular form with the base directed laterally.

Its base is concave, thin, and sharp, and forms the medial boundary of the femoral ring. Its apex corresponds to the pubic tubercle.

Its posterior margin is attached to the pectineal line, and is continuous with the pectineal ligament. Its anterior margin is attached to the inguinal ligament.

Its surfaces are directed upward and downward.

Clinical significance

The lacunar ligament is the only boundary of the femoral canal that can be cut during surgery to release a femoral hernia. Care must be taken when doing so as up to 25% of people have an aberrant obturator artery (corona mortis) which can cause significant bleeding.[5]

Additional images
  • Structures passing behind the inguinal ligament.
  • The relations of the femoral and abdominal inguinal rings, seen from within the abdomen. Right side.
  • Anterior abdominal wall.Intermediate dissection.Anterior view

See also

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 412 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

  1. Arráez-Aybar, LA & Bueno-López, JL. (2013). Antonio Gimbernat y Arbós: An Anatomist-surgeon of the Enlightenment (In the 220th Anniversary of his ‘‘A New Method of Operating the Crural Hernia’’). Clinical Anatomy 26:800–809
  2. Lytle WJ (May 1979). "Inguinal anatomy". J. Anat. 128 (Pt 3): 581–94. PMC 1232909. PMID 468709.
  3. Moore, K.L., & Agur, A.M. (2007). Essential Clinical Anatomy: Third Edition. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 128. ISBN 978-0-7817-6274-8
  4. Netter, Frank (2010). "Plate 255". Atlas of Human Anatomy. Saunders. ISBN 978-1-4160-5951-6.
  5. "Corona Mortis". Medical Terminology Daily. Clinical Anatomy Associates, Inc. 4 December 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2017.

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