Quick Facts
Origin: First lumbar nerve (L1).
Course: Runs inferior to iliohypogastric nerve and along the inguinal canal towards genitals.
Branches: Anterior scrotal (males) or anterior labial (females) nerves.
Supply: Motor innervation to internal abdominal oblique muscle. Sensory innervation from the scrotum and root of the penis (males), or mons pubis and labium majus (females).
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The ilioinguinal nerve originates from the anterior ramus of the first lumbar nerve.
Course
The ilioinguinal nerve runs inferior to the iliohypogastric nerve, obliquely towards the anterior iliac crest. The nerve penetrates both the transversus abdominis and internal abdominal oblique muscles. As it moves anteriorly, it starts to run medially and follows the spermatic cord (in males) or round ligament (females) along the inguinal canal.
Branches
The ilioinguinal nerve gives off the anterior scrotal (male) and labial (female) nerves. In addition, it communicates with the iliohypogastric nerve.
Supplied Structures
The ilioinguinal nerve supplies motor innervation to the internal abdominal oblique muscle. In addition, it receives sensory cutaneous information from the upper scrotal area and root of the penis in males, or the mons pubis and labium majus in females.
