A surgeon plans an open inguinal hernia repair and needs to identify the surface marking of the deep inguinal ring from outside the abdominal wall. The deep inguinal ring lies:

• A Immediately above the pubic tubercle
• B At the midinguinal point, directly overlying the femoral artery
• C Just above the midpoint of the inguinal ligament, about 1.25 cm superior to it ✓
• D At the lateral end of the inguinal ligament above the anterior superior iliac spine

Explanation

The deep inguinal ring is an opening in the transversalis fascia situated just above the midpoint of the inguinal ligament, classically about 1.25 cm superolateral to that midpoint. Option A marks the superficial inguinal ring, which lies above the pubic tubercle, and confusing the two rings is the classic error. Option B is the midinguinal point, the surface landmark of the femoral artery beneath the inguinal ligament, not of the ring.

Reference: Gray's Anatomy for Students, 4th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.