Inguinal

Anatomy

The normal structure of the abdominal wall is shown in the diagram below:

The inside lining of the abdomen is the peritoneum. This pushes through a weakness in the abdominal wall muscles - where the testicle and its blood vessels pass through - to produce a hernia:

The anatomy of the groin is shown below:

A tight band of tissue (the inguinal ligament - the lower border of a muscle called the external oblique) runs from the pubic bone to the outer part of the pelvic bone. The blood vessels and nerve supply of the leg emerge from under this ligament. The deep ring is a hole in the deeper abdominal muscle layers through which the cord emerges. The cord contains the vas, veins, arteries and nerves. It runs along a canal (inguinal canal) to the testicle in men. The front wall of the canal is the external oblique muscle.

Two sensory nerves (supply skin with sensation) run with the cord in the inguinal canal. The genito-femoral and ilio-inguinal nerves. The ilio-inguinal nerve supplies sensation to the skin at the base of the penis, base of the scrotum and the upper inner thigh.