Medical Dictionary
Main Entry:
Coo·per's ligament Pronunciation:
"kü-p&rz-, "kup-&rz- Function:
noun : a strong ligamentous band extending upward andbackward from the base of Gimbernat's ligament along the iliopectineal line to which it is attached called also
ligament of Cooper Cooáper /'kü-p&r, US also'kup-&r,/ Sir Astley Paston (1768–1841), British surgeon. The foremost surgeon of his day, Cooper is known in part for his pioneering treatments for aneurysm. In 1808 heligated the common carotid artery and the external iliac arteries and in 1817 he ligated the abdominal continuation of the descending aorta. In 1829 he published a work on the anatomy and diseases ofthe breast in which he described those ligaments which are the connective tissue attachments of the mammary gland to the overlying skin. The ligaments have since been named in his honor.
