THE ANATOMIC STRUCTURE OF THE PREPERITONEAL TISSUE (PPT) OF THE INGUINAL CANAL

Anatomical examinations of the inguinal canal exist in many forms. The preperitoneal tissue, the structure directly adjacent to the transver se fascia, was examined in 62 cadavers. The left side of the inguinal abdominal wall was studied with special interest in the transverse fas cia and the adjacent preperitoneal tissue. In 75% of the cases the tra nsverse fascia and preperitoneal tissue built a continuous layer. A di fferentiation was difficult in cadavers with cachexia or an average nu tritive state. The tissues could be differentiated without difficulty in individuals with adipositas. In these cases no connection between t he two layers was detected. In the medial part of the inguinal abdomin al wall the tissue thickness was larger than in the lateral part. Howe ver in 32% of the cases the tissue thickness was reverse. As a consequ ence, the isolated suture of the transverse fascia in inguinal hernia repair is anatomically virtually impossible, If both tissues build one continuous layer.