Fig. 1

Schematic drawing of the muscular anatomy of the anterior abdominal wall and thigh. Superimposed skin incisions of the pararectus approach (blue), the utilitarian incision (green), and the abdominoinguinal incision (red). The primary incisions are shown by solid lines, extensions by dotted lines. The pararectus approach may be combined with lateral approaches to the hip and thigh (indicated with blue dashed line). 1. Obliquus externus muscle. 2. Aponeurosis of obliquus externus muscle with underlying rectus abdominis muscle. 3. Sartorius muscle. 4. Tensor fascia lata muscle. 5. Rectus femoris muscle. 6. Vastus medialis muscle. 7. Iliopsoas muscle and tendon. 8. Pectineus muscle. 9. Adductor longus muscle