Pelvic Girdle Showing The Pecten Pubis, Superior View

Description

Pecten pubis (pectineal line) forms a sharp ridge along the superior ramus of the pubis, tracing the anterior segment of the pelvic brim (linea terminalis) in a superior view of the bony pelvic girdle. Medially, it approaches the pubic crest and the pubic symphysis, while laterally it runs toward the iliopubic (iliopectineal) eminence at the junction with the ilium. The contour of the pelvic inlet is readable from above, with the pecten pubis aligning in continuity with the arcuate line of the ilium and defining the transition between the true and false pelvis across the anterior hemipelvis. Edges are crisp. Surgeons and educators return to this ridge because it anchors key soft tissues and defines a surgical boundary: the lacunar ligament and pectineal (Cooper’s) ligament relate to the pecten pubis along the medial anterior pelvis, immediately adjacent to the femoral canal where femoral hernias pass inferior to the inguinal ligament. In open and laparoscopic groin hernia repair, Cooper’s ligament fixation and mesh placement are planned with reference to this bony landmark, and a superior perspective helps orient medial to lateral relationships without conflating the pecten pubis with the pubic crest or superior pubic ramus as a whole. The pectineal line also marks the origin of pectineus on the anterior surface, a useful teaching point when correlating pelvic brim anatomy with proximal thigh compartments. Use this illustration in gross anatomy labs, pelvic osteology modules, and surgical education materials on inguinal and femoral hernias, as well as in obstetrics teaching when outlining the pelvic inlet and its anterior boundary. It also fits orthopedic and radiology publications that require Terminologia Anatomica labeling of the linea terminalis and pubic landmarks in a superior orientation. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.