Medial umbilical ligament

Medial umbilical ligament
The peritoneum of the male pelvis. (Medial umbilical ligament labeled at bottom left.)
Posterior view of the anterior abdominal wall in its lower half. The peritoneum is in place, and the various cords are shining through.
Details
Latin	Chorda arteriae umbilicalis, Ligamentum umbilicale mediale
Anatomical terminology []

The medial umbilical ligament (or cord of umbilical artery) is a paired structure found in human anatomy. It is on the deep surface of the anterior abdominal wall, and is covered by the medial umbilical folds (plicae umbilicales mediales). It should not be confused with the median umbilical ligament, a different structure that represents the remnant of the embryonic urachus.

It represents the remnant of the fetal umbilical arteries, which serves no purpose in humans after birth, except for the initial part that becomes the adult umbilical artery.

It may be used as a landmark for surgeons exploring the medial inguinal fossa during laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Other than this, it has no purpose in an adult and it may be cut or damaged with impunity.

The supravesical fossa, and therefore a supravesical hernia, is medial to this structure. The medial inguinal fossa, and therefore a direct inguinal hernia, is lateral to it.

Dissection of side wall of pelvis showing sacral and pudendal plexuses.

Inguinal fossae