Structure
The deep inguinal ring is an opening formed in the transversalis fascia of the anterior abdominal wall. It is located at the mid inguinal point, which is 1 cm above the inguinal ligament, at the halfway point between the anterior superior iliac spine and the pubic symphysis. It can also be found on the lower margin of transversus abdominis muscle and lies lateral to the interfoveolar ligament and the inferior epigastric vessels.
The deep inguinal ring is oval and is approximately 1–2 cm in adults. However, it varies in size and is smaller in women.
Related parts of the anatomy
Function
The deep inguinal ring is the deep boundary of the inguinal canal. It serves as the entrance of the inguinal canal, the passageway for the round ligament in females, the spermatic cord in males, blood vessels, lymphatics, and the ilioinguinal nerve in both sexes.
The deep inguinal ligament also has a role in the regulation of intra-abdominal pressure. Transversus abdominis and internal abdominal oblique muscles contract and cause the constriction of the deep inguinal ring when there is increased abdominal pressure in acts such as sneezing and coughing.
List of Clinical Correlates
—Indirect inguinal hernia
—Hesselbach’s triangle
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Deep Inguinal Ring
The deep inguinal ring, through which the round ligament or spermatic cord enters the inguinal canal, is a defect in the transversalis fascia.
