Anaes SAQs · Applied anatomy
Abdominal wall and fascial planes
Primary — nine wall layers (skin, Camper's, Scarpa's, external/internal oblique, transversus abdominis + aponeuroses, transversalis fascia, extraperitoneal fat, peritoneum); linea alba and rectus sheath (arcuate line — posterior wall = transversalis fascia only below); innervation T7-L1 (thoracoabdominal T7-11, subcostal T12, iliohypogastric/ilioinguinal L1) running between internal oblique and transversus (the TAP); TAP = anterolateral wall only (somatic + parietal peritoneum, not viscera); rectus sheath = midline; QL = paravertebral spread covers visceral + somatic; ESP = cranial-caudal thoracoabdominal.
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Question
Describe the layers of the anterolateral abdominal wall and the segmental innervation relevant to the transversus abdominis plane block. Outline the differences in coverage between the TAP, rectus sheath, quadratus lumborum and erector spinae plane blocks.
References5ShowHide
- [1]Reda I, et al. Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block versus ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric nerve block for postoperative analgesia after open total abdominal hysterectomy: a randomised comparative trial. Anaesth Rep, 2026.PMID 42311962
- [3]Turhan O, et al. Erector spinae plane vs thoracic paravertebral block. J Clin Med, 2026.PMID 42355760
- [4]Chooklin S, et al. Classical and deep rectus sheath block. Local Reg Anesth, 2026.PMID 42358227
- [5]Ji J, et al. Effects of multimodal analgesia with combined quadratus lumborum block on enhanced recovery after Kasai portoenterostomy in infants with biliary atresia: a retrospective cohort study. Front Pediatr, 2026.PMID 42255912
- [42358228]Bersten AD, Soni N (eds) Oh's Intensive Care Manual. 8th edition, Elsevier, 2018.