Inguinal canal walls (mnemonic)

Last revised by Kieran Kusel on 4 Feb 2020

A helpful mnemonic to remember the walls of the inguinal canal is:

  • MALT: (2M, 2A, 2L, 2T)

Mnemonic

Starting from superior, moving counterclockwise in order to posterior:

  • Superior wall (roof): 2 Muscles
    • internal oblique Muscle
    • transversus abdominis Muscle
  • Anterior wall: 2 Aponeuroses
    • Aponeurosis of external oblique
    • Aponeurosis of internal oblique
  • Lower wall (floor): 2 Ligaments
    • inguinal Ligament·
    • lacunar Ligament
  • Posterior wall: 2 Ts
    • Transversalis fascia
    • conjoint Tendon

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