Median umbilical ligament

In human anatomy, the median umbilical ligament is an unpaired midline ligamentous structure upon the lower inner surface of the anterior abdominal wall.^[1] It is covered by the median umbilical fold.^{[citation needed]}

The median umbilical ligament represents the remnant of the

The median umbilical ligament begins as the allantois in the embryonic period. It then becomes the urachus in the fetus.^[3][4] This later develops into the median umbilical ligament at birth.^[3] It is also formed from the cloaca in utero.^[2]

Function

The median umbilical ligament has no known function.^[2]

Clinical significance

The median umbilical ligament 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.

It contains the

In very rare cases the

The median umbilical ligament was jokingly referred to as "Xander's ligament" in a YouTube video published by Dr. Alexander R. Toftness (aka. ARTexplains on YouTube), and this name was subsequently used on Wikipedia for a short time.^[6] This term was later used in a paper published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.^[6][7][8] The term has also appeared in a medical textbook of obstetrics and gynaecology.^[9]

References