Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Median umbilical ligament
Introduction
The median umbilical ligament is a structure in human anatomy. It is a shrivelled piece of tissue that represents the remnant of the embryonic urachus.
It extends from the apex of the bladder to the umbilicus, on the deep surface of the anterior abdominal wall. It is unpaired.
It is covered by the median umbilical fold
Lateral to this structure are the medial umbilical ligament (which is a different structure, not to be confused) and the lateral umbilical ligament.
Uses
Uses
It may be used as a landmark for surgeons who are performing laparoscopy, such as laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Other than this, it has no function in a born human and may be cut or removed with impunity.
External links
External links
- Median umbilical ligament
- Template:SUNYAnatomyFigs – “The inguinal canal and derivation of the layers of the spermatic cord.”
- Template:SUNYAnatomyLabs – “The Male Pelvis: The Urinary Bladder”
- Template:SUNYAnatomyImage
- Median umbilical fold
- Template:SUNYAnatomyFigs – “Internal surface of the anterior abdominal wall.”