Nerves supplying the anterior abdominal wall

The **nerves supplying the anterior abdominal wall** are a complex network of mixed motor and sensory nerves, principally derived from the anterior rami of spinal nerves T6–L1. The main contributors are the thoracoabdominal nerves (T7–T11), subcostal nerve (T12), and branches from the lumbar plexus including the iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal nerves (L1)[2][5][3][7]. These nerves travel in neurovascular planes between the abdominal wall muscles—primarily between internal oblique and transversus abdominis—providing segmental motor innervation to abdominal muscles (rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, transversus abdominis, and pyramidalis) and sensory innervation to skin overlying the abdominal wall. They are not a single definable molecule, protein, or receptor, but rather a collection of peripheral nerves with both clinical and surgical relevance, including in the context of regional anesthesia (e.g., TAP block)[2][7][5].

Other names

Anterior abdominal wall nervesAbdominal wall innervationNerves of the anterolateral abdominal wall

Local anesthetics block sodium channels in nerves, inhibiting action potential propagation and thus sensation/motor output[2][5].