Internal Abdominal Wall - Erler Zimmer 3D anatomy Series MP1137

This model of the Internal Abdominal Perete is part of the exclusive Monash 3D anatomy series, a comprehensive series of human dissections reproduced with ultra-high resolution color 3D printing.

This 3D model captures the inner surface of the anterior abdominal wall, a region often removed or damaged during dissection (and complementary to our A8 abdominal specimen in which the anterior wall was removed). The parietal peritoneum was removed from the inner surface of the specimen to demonstrate more clearly the relationships between the anterior abdominal muscle fibers and connective tissue structures as they converge at the midline. At the edges of the specimen, particularly superiorly, horizontally oriented transverse abdominal muscle fibers can be seen converging toward their aponeurosis (tendon sheet). In the lower 1/3 of the specimen, one can see the termination of the posterior face of the aponeurosis forming the arcuate line. This marks the position where the aponeurosis changes orientation with respect to the rectus abdominis muscle (visible on both sides of the midline); above the arcuate line the aponeurosis of the transverse abdominis muscle is evenly divided around the rectus abdominis muscle, while below the arcuate line all the aponeurotic fibers pass anteriorly with respect to the rectus abdominis. At this point, we can observe the inferior epigastric arteries (and accompanying veins) passing superiorly from their origins from the external iliac arteries and veins into the tissues of the anterior abdominal wall. On the right side of the model one can appreciate how the orientation of the inferior epigastric artery with respect to the fibers of the rectus abdominis muscle defines the apex of the inguinal (Hesselbach's) triangle (missing only the base formed by the inguinal ligament, not present in this specimen). This region lateral to the inferior epigastric artery is a frequent site of direct hernias (which can be appreciated in abdominal specimen A8) given the relative weakness of the wall inferior to the arcuate line and lateral to the margin of the rectus abdominis muscle. In the midline, and dividing the two halves of the rectus abdominis muscle, is part of the median abdominal ligament, a draped fold of the parietal peritoneum that covers the urachus, a fibrous embryologic remnant of the allantois, which extends from the bladder into the umbilical cord.

What advantages does the Monash University anatomical dissection collection offer over plastic models or plastinated human specimens?

• Each body replica has been carefully created from selected patient X-ray data or human cadaver specimens selected by a highly trained team of anatomists at the Monash University Center for Human Anatomy Education to illustrate a range of clinically important areas of anatomy with a quality and fidelity that cannot be achieved with conventional anatomical models-this is real anatomy, not stylized anatomy.
• Each body replica has been rigorously checked by a team of highly trained anatomists at the Center for Human Anatomy Education, Monash University, to ensure the anatomical accuracy of the final product.
• The body replicas are not real human tissue and therefore not subject to any barriers of transportation, import, or use in educational facilities that do not hold an anatomy license. The Monash 3D Anatomy dissection series avoids these and other ethical issues that are raised when dealing with plastinated human remains.