[Historical notes on anatomy of the transversalis fascia]

In the early 19th century, the tissue of the peritoneum was regarded as the duplicature of membrane. In the middle of the century, however, it was considered to be one of serous membranes, because histology had been developed. Between the peritoneum and the abdominal muscles, there are two fasciae, the subperitoneal and the transversalis fascia. But, Sir Astley Cooper reported that there was only the transversalis fascia, because he considered the subperitoneal fascia to be a double covering of the peritoneum, that is, a part of the duplicature of the peritoneum. In this century, Cooper's report has been interpreted through histology. Consequently, it is the general opinion that there is no other fascia than the transversalis fascia between the peritoneum and the abdominal muscles, in a view which disregards the subperitoneal fascia.