Rectus sheath

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Laminas around abdominal muscles

title: "Rectus sheath" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["abdomen", "muscles-of-the-torso"] description: "Laminas around abdominal muscles" topic_path: "general/abdomen" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectus_sheath" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Laminas around abdominal muscles ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox anatomy"]

FieldValue
NameRectus sheath
Latinvagina musculi recti abdominis
ImageRectus abdominis.png
::

| Name = Rectus sheath | Latin = vagina musculi recti abdominis | Image = Rectus abdominis.png | Caption = | Image2 = | Caption2 = | System = The rectus sheath (also called the rectus fascia) is a tough fibrous compartment formed by the aponeuroses of the transverse abdominal muscle, and the internal and external oblique muscles. It contains the rectus abdominis and pyramidalis muscles, as well as vessels and nerves.

Structure

The rectus sheath extends between the inferior costal margin and costal cartilages of ribs 5-7 superiorly, and the pubic crest inferiorly.

Studies indicate that all three aponeuroses constituting the rectus sheath are in fact bilaminar.****

Below the costal margin

::data[format=table] | Region || Illustration || Description | |---| | Above the arcuate line | | Below the arcuate line | ::

Superficial/anterior to the anterior layer of the rectus sheath are the following two layers:

  1. Camper's fascia (anterior part of superficial fascia)
  2. Scarpa's fascia (posterior part of the superficial fascia)

Deep/posterior posterior layer of the rectus sheath (where present) are the following three layers:

  1. transversalis fascia
  2. extraperitoneal fat
  3. parietal peritoneum

Above the costal margin

Since the tendons of the internal oblique and transversus abdominis only reach as high as the costal margin, it follows that above this level the sheath of the rectus is deficient behind, the muscle resting directly on the cartilages of the ribs, and being covered only by the tendons of the external obliques.

Clinical significance

The rectus sheath is a useful attachment for surgical meshes during abdominal surgery. This has a higher risk of infection than many other attachment sites.

Additional images

File:Gray396.png|The Cremaster File:Gray398.png|The interfoveolar ligament, seen from in front.

References

References

  1. Te Linde, Richard W.. (1977). "Te Linde's Operative Gynecology". Lippincott.
  2. Sevensma, Karlin E.. (2023). "Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Rectus Sheath". StatPearls Publishing.
  3. Sinnatamby, Chummy. (2011). "Last's Anatomy".
  4. Flynn, William. (2023). "Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis: Abdominal Wall". StatPearls Publishing.
  5. "extraperitoneal fascia".
  6. Hollinsky, C.. (2011-01-01). "6.638 - Biomaterials for Hernia Repair". Elsevier.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

abdomenmuscles-of-the-torso