<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, genitofemoral, obturator, and pudendal nerves are the major sensory nerves that may be involved in chronic groin and genital pain with a significant impact on the quality of life of patients. The diagnosis remains clinical, and US-guided diagnostic injections using an anesthetic may aid in confirming the clinical suspicion. The anatomy of the peripheral nerves can be successfully studied using imaging. High-resolution ultrasound is increasingly used in the clinical setting for visualizing small peripheral nerves, and magnetic resonance imaging provides an anatomical overview of the relationship between small nerves and surrounding structures. In this pictorial assay, we review the anatomy and clinical relevance of the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, genitofemoral, obturator, and pudendal nerves. We summarize the various techniques for ultrasound identification, and present the ultrasound-guided infiltration techniques for injecting the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, genitofemoral, obturator, and pudendal nerves. Corresponding magnetic resonance images and clinical photos of the probe placement technique are provided for anatomical correlation. This paper is aimed to serve as a practical technical guide for physicians to familiarize themselves with the ultrasound anatomy of the major inguinal sensory nerves and to enable successful ultrasound identification and ultrasound-guided diagnostic or therapeutic infiltrations for pain management of the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, genitofemoral, obturator, and pudendal nerves.</p></abstract>

The ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, genitofemoral, obturator, and pudendal nerves are the major sensory nerves that may be involved in chronic groin and genital pain with a significant impact on the quality of life of patients. The diagnosis remains clinical, and US-guided diagnostic injections using an anesthetic may aid in confirming the clinical suspicion. The anatomy of the peripheral nerves can be successfully studied using imaging. High-resolution ultrasound is increasingly used in the clinical setting for visualizing small peripheral nerves, and magnetic resonance imaging provides an anatomical overview of the relationship between small nerves and surrounding structures. In this pictorial assay, we review the anatomy and clinical relevance of the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, genitofemoral, obturator, and pudendal nerves. We summarize the various techniques for ultrasound identification, and present the ultrasound-guided infiltration techniques for injecting the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, genitofemoral, obturator, and pudendal nerves. Corresponding magnetic resonance images and clinical photos of the probe placement technique are provided for anatomical correlation. This paper is aimed to serve as a practical technical guide for physicians to familiarize themselves with the ultrasound anatomy of the major inguinal sensory nerves and to enable successful ultrasound identification and ultrasound-guided diagnostic or therapeutic infiltrations for pain management of the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, genitofemoral, obturator, and pudendal nerves.

Sonoanatomy of the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, genitofemoral, obturator, and pudendal nerves: a practical guide for US-guided injections

Journal of Ultrasonography

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, genitofemoral, obturator, and pudendal nerves are the major sensory nerves that may be involved in chronic groin and genital...

Sonoanatomy of the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, genitofemoral, obturator, and pudendal nerves: a practical guide for US-guided injections

Article Category: Review paper

Published Online: Feb 08, 2022

Page range: 44 - 50

Received: Aug 23, 2021

Accepted: Dec 13, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15557/JoU.2022.0008

Keywords
nerve, ultrasound, injections, groin

© 2022 Elena E. Drakonaki, Miraude E. A. P. M. Adriaensen, Hussain I. J. Al-Bulushi, Ioannis Koliarakis, John Tsiaoussis, Kurt Vanderdood published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Sonoanatomy of the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, genitofemoral, obturator, and pudendal nerves: a practical guide for US-guided injections

Article Category: Review paper

Published Online: Feb 08, 2022

Page range: 44 - 50

Received: Aug 23, 2021

Accepted: Dec 13, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15557/JoU.2022.0008

Keywordsnerve, ultrasound, injections, groin

© 2022 Elena E. Drakonaki, Miraude E. A. P. M. Adriaensen, Hussain I. J. Al-Bulushi, Ioannis Koliarakis, John Tsiaoussis, Kurt Vanderdood published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
nerve, ultrasound, injections, groin