toracoabdominales

Toracoabdominales is a term used in anatomy that most often refers to the thoracoabdominal nerves (nervi thoracoabdominales). These nerves are the anterior branches of the lower intercostal nerves, typically from T7 to T11, with the subcostal nerve (T12) sometimes included. They emerge near the costal margin and extend medially across the abdominal wall.

Anatomically, the thoracoabdominal nerves pass between the internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles as they enter the anterolateral abdominal wall. They give off lateral and anterior cutaneous branches that supply the skin of the lower thorax and upper abdomen, and they provide motor innervation to the abdominal wall muscles, including the external oblique, internal oblique, and transversus abdominis. Through these motor branches, they contribute to movements of the abdominal wall such as flexion, lateral bending, and stabilization, as well as to increases in intra-abdominal pressure with actions like coughing or defecation.

Clinical relevance includes potential injury or entrapment of these nerves during abdominal or thoracic procedures, trauma, or surgical incisions, which can cause abdominal wall weakness or neuropathic pain (thoracoabdominal neuralgia). Knowledge of their course is important in regional anesthesia and in planning incisions to minimize nerve damage.

In some texts, toracoabdominales may also be used in reference to the muscular group known as the thoracoabdominal muscles, a component of the abdominal wall formed by the lower fibers of the external oblique, internal oblique, and transversus abdominis. The usage varies by tradition, but the nerve-focused sense is the most common in modern anatomy.