Superior Pubic Ramus Of The Pubis, Lateral View

Description

Superior pubic ramus anatomy is centered on the bony strut extending laterally from the pubic body toward the acetabular rim of the hip bone. From the fixed lateral perspective, the medial pubic body sits posterior-medial to the ramus, while the lateral end thickens as it approaches the anterior margin of the acetabulum and the junction with the ilium near the iliopubic eminence. Along the superior border, the pecten pubis (pectineal line) forms a ridge that continues into the iliopectineal line, and the inferior margin contributes to the superior boundary of the obturator foramen. Key surface landmarks include the pubic tubercle anteriorly and the smoother internal surface that faces the pelvic cavity. This segment matters because the superior pubic ramus is part of the anterior pelvic ring and the anterior column of the acetabulum, so fracture lines here can destabilize the pelvis and alter hip joint congruity, a pattern often assessed on pelvic CT and Judet radiographic projections. Surgeons also treat it as a reference corridor during anterior approaches to acetabular fixation, where screw placement must respect the quadrilateral surface medially and the acetabular articular margin laterally, and during inguinal hernia repairs that anchor to the pectineal ligament (Cooper ligament) along the pecten pubis. Bone detail is the point. Use this illustration in pelvic osteology teaching, orthopedic trauma atlases (pelvic ring and acetabular fractures), and operative planning materials for anterior column fixation or hernia repair anatomy where the pubic tubercle and pectineal line are named landmarks. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.