[Applied anatomy of the inguinal region and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair]

To investigate the regional anatomy of the inguinal region and abdominal ring and provide accurate anatomic basis for the clinical application of total peritoneum intraperitoneal onlay mesh (TPIPOM).

The structures of the inguinal region and those surrounding the abdominal ring of 18 cadavers (11 males and 7 females, 36 sides) were dissected to measure the lengths from the nerves and vessels to the corresponding anatomical landmarks.

The average distances from the point where the iliohypogastric nerve (IHN) ran through the obliquus internus abdominis to anterosuperior iliac spine and from the point where the IHN ran through the aponeurosis of the external oblique muscle of the abdomen to the superior margin of the symphysis pubica were 4.10±0.89 cm and 5.02±1.46 cm, respectively. The average distances from the point where the ilioinguinal nerve (IGN) ran through the obliquus internus abdominis to the anterosuperior iliac spine and from the point where IGN ran through the aponeurosis of the external oblique muscle of the abdomen to the superior surface of the tuberculum pubicum were 3.09±0.81 cm and 3.84±0.89 cm, respectively. We established the regional anatomy model of the structures surrounding the abdominal ring.

The quantitative measurement of important structures of the inguinal region and establishment of the regional anatomy model of the surrounding structures of the abdominal ring can provide a valuable reference to reduce intraoperative and postoperative complications of TPIPOM.