The posterior abdominal wall supports the retroperitoneal organs and contains blood vessels, nerves, muscles and lymph nodes. The abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava are the major blood vessels, branching to supply the organs and muscles. The lumbar plexus lies in the psoas major muscle and provides branches that innervate the abdominal wall and lower limbs. Key muscles of the posterior wall include the psoas major and minor, quadratus lumborum, and iliacus.

1. POSTERIOR ABDOMINAL WALL

2. Posterior abdominal wall…

3. Introduction.. Posterior abdominal wall is muscular and support not only the retroperitoneal organs like kidney, ureter, duodenum but all the other organs and vessels etc. of biggest cavity of the body. It contains the lumbar plexus and part of the course of its branches. In addition, both the sympathetic and parasympathetic component of autonomic nervous system are visible here. The sympathetic is unsympathetic to gastrointestinal tract. It is seen in form of coeliac, superior and inferior mesenteric plexuses.

4. Introduction…Posterior abdominal wall includes the study of the following structures:- 1) the abdominal aorta- 2) the inferior vena cava- 3) lymph nodes- 4) muscles - 5) nerves

5. Blood Supply ofPosterior Abdominal Wall

6. Blood Vessels.

7. Abdominal Aorta begins at midline at aortic opening of the diaphragm, opposite lower border of vertebra T 12 and passes down from L1 until L4 then divides into right & left common iliac arteries.

8. 1) Visceral BranchesUNPAIREDPAIRED

9. 2) Posterior Branches

10. Inferior Vena Cava

12. Venous TributariesLumbar Veins

13. POSTERIOR ABDOMINAL WALLMUSCLES

14. Muscles forming the medial, lateral, inferior, and superior boundaries of the posterior abdominal region fill in the bony framework of the posterior abdominal wall. Medially are the psoas majorand minor muscle, laterally is the quadratuslumborummuscle, inferiorly is the illiacusmuscle and superiorly is the diaphragm.

15. Psoas major Origin: major Lateral surface of bodies of T12, and L1 to L5 vertebrae, transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae, and the intervertebral discs.Insertion: Lesser trochanter of the femurFunction: Flexion of thigh at hip joint

16. Psoas minorOrigin:Minor Lateral surface of bodies of T12 and L1 vertebrae and intervening intervertebral discInsertion:Pectinial line of the pelvic brim and iliopubic eminenceFunction: Weak flexion of lumbar vertebral column

17. QuadratuslumborumOrigin:transverse process of L5 vertebra, iliolumbarligament, and iliac crestInsertion: transverse process of L1 to L4 vertebrae and infirior border of 12th RIBFunction:Depress and stabalize rib 12 and some lateral bending of trunk

18. IliacusOrigin:Upper two-third of iliac fossa, anterion sacroiliac and iliolumbar ligament, and upper later surface of sacrumInsertion:Lesser trochanter of femurFunction:Flexion of thigh at hip joint

21. POSTERIOR ABDOMINAL WALLNerves supply

22. LUMBAR PLEXUS..The lumbar plexus lies in the posterior part of the substance of the psoas major muscle.Formed by the ventral rami of the upper four lumbar nerves.The first lumbar nerve receives a contribution from subcostal nerve, and fourth lumbar nerve gives a contribution to lumbosacral trunk, which take part in the formation of the sacral plexus.

23. Branches of lumbar plexus:1.) The iliohypogastric nerve (L1) emerges at the lateral border of the psaos, runs downwards and laterally in front of the quadratuslumborum, and behind the kidney and colon, pierces the transversusabdominis a little above the iliac crest, and runs in the abdominal wall.

24. 2.) The ilioinguinal nerve (L1) has the same course as the iliohypogastric nerve, but on a slightly lower level.3.) The genitofemoral nerve (L1 , L2 ventral division) emerges on the anterior surface of the psoas muscle near its medial border and runs downwards in front of the muscle. Near the deep inguinal ring it lies in front of the external iliac artery and divides into femoral and genital branches.

25. 4.) The lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh (L2, L3 dorsal division) emerges at the lateral border of the psoas, runs downwards and laterally across the right iliac fossa, over the iliacus and reaches the anterior superior iliac spine. 5.) The femoral nerve (L2, L3, L4; dorsal division) emerges at the lateral border of the psaos below the iliac crest, and runs downwards and slightly laterally in the furrow between the psoas and iliacus. It lies under cover of the fascia iliaca.

26. 6.) The obturator nerve (L2, L3, L4; ventral divisions) emerges on the medial side of the psoas muscle and runs forwards and downwards on the pelvic wall.7.) The lumbosacral trunk (L4, L5 ; ventral rami) is formed by union of the descending branch of nerve L4 with nerve L5. It is related medially to the sympathetic chain and laterally to the iliolumbar artery and the obturator nerve.