Anatomy Flashcards
Outline the anatomy and blood supply to the female breasts.
Extends from lateral border of sternum to mid-axillary line, overlying ribs 2-6 and the muscles of the anterior thoracic wall
Retromammary space/bursa between breast and fascia overlying muscle (site for breast implants)
Nipple located over 5th intercostal space (in young women)
15-20 lobules radiate from nipple, delineated by septa of fibrous connective tissue extending from the skin to the underlying fascia (suspensory ligaments of Cooper)
—> tumours can shorten the ligaments, distorting the breast
Tumours causing oedema —> peau d’orange
Internal thoracic artery, intercostal artery, axillary artery (lateral thoracic artery & thoracoacromial arteries)
Axillary vein, internal thoracic vein, posterior intercostal veins (1: drains into braciocephalic/vertebral vein, 2-4: drain into superior intercostal vein, remaining: right breast -> azygos vein, left breast -> hemiazygos vein)
—> route for metastasis to lungs
Outline the embryological development of the ovaries.
8-9wks:
- mesonephric duct is degenerating
- paramesonephric duct —> uterine tube
- fused paramesonephric ducts —> uterus
- urogenital sinus —> bladder, lower parts of vagina, urethra
Outline the anatomy and blood supply to the ovaries and uterus.
Arteries:
- ovarian artery (branch of abdominal aorta) & ovarian vein (right drains into IVC, left drains into left renal vein)
- uterine artery (ant. division of internal iliac artery) & uterine vein
- vaginal artery
- internal pudendal vessels (ant. division of internal iliac artery)
Venous drainage of ovaries: pampiniform plexus —> ovarian vein
- right ovarian vein —> IVC
- left ovarian vein —> left renal vein
Ligaments:
- suspensory ligaments of ovary (superior)
- ovarian ligaments (medial —> lateral wall of uterus)
- broad ligament = peritoneal fold (mesentery of uterus - mesometrium, uterine tube - mesosalpinx, suspensory ligament of ovary - mesovarium) enclosing the uterus, uterine tubes, ovaries, and their neurovascular supplies
- uterosacral ligament (opposes anterior pull of round ligament, assists in maintaining anteversion of the uterus)
- round ligament (remnant of gubernaculum which reflects off the uterus and travels through the inguinal canal; drains the superficial inguinal lymph nodes)
Fundus of uterus enlarges during pregnancy to rise above the superior pubic ramus
What are the pouches present in the female abdomen?
Uterovesical pouch
Rectouterine pouch (pouch of Douglas)
note: pouch of Douglas accessible via posterior fornix of the vagina (culdo-centesis)
What are the axes of the female reproductive organs? How is the uterus orientated with respect to the other organs?
Axis of vagina
Axis of cervix
Axis of uterine body
Uterus is anteVerted with respect to the Vagina (tipped forwards)
Uterus is antefleXed with respect to the cerviX (tipped away from)
What are the different components of the uterine tubes?
Ovary —> Fimbriae —> Infundibulum —> Ampulla —> Isthmus —> Fundus of uterus
note: ostium of uterine tube means that the peritoneal cavity is open to the vagina and cervix (infection spread)
Describe the lymphatic drainage of the uterus.
Fundus of uterus —> aortic nodes & inguinal nodes
Ovary —> para-aortic nodes
Body of cervix —> external iliac nodes
Cervix —> internal iliac nodes & sacral nodes
What are the different ligaments which support the pelvic organs in the female?
Pubovesical ligament (around bladder)
Transverse cervical ligament = thickening at base of broad ligament; provides lateral stability to the cervix by attaching to the lateral walls of the pelvis
Uterosacral/rectouterine ligament = opposes anterior pull of round ligament; maintains anteversion of uterus (connects cervix and rectum)
How is the cervix examined? What structure is seen with a speculum?
Insert speculum into vagina and open blades once at external os
Presenting structure = anterior lip of external os of cervix
note: unless uterus is retroverted (tilted posteriorly); then the presenting structure would be the posterior lip of the external os
What is the bimanual examination? What is it assessing?
- Insert thumb and index finger of left hand to separate labia majora and insert index finger of right hand
- Palpate vaginal walls for obvious abnormalities
- Palpate uterus using right hand with left hand on abdomen (for pregnancy/irregularity)
- Place internal fingers in right fornix and press ovary using left hand in iliac fossa
Assesses uterus for: mobility, consistency, pain, regularity, position, size (usually size of plum; 10wks pregnant = orange)
Cervical fornices:
- anterior = bladder, recto-pubic space
- posterior (deepest) = pouch of Douglas, posterior fundus, uterosacral ligaments, posterior broad ligaments/ovaries
- lateral: broad ligaments
note: the fornices form a continuous recess of the cervix
note: posterior fornix is usually deepest; more of posterior part of cervix enters the vagina compared to the anterior part of the cervix
Describe the features of the female external genitalia. What glands are present, and what clinical problems involve these glands?
Labia majora = encloses pudendal cleft
Labia minora:
- clitoris
- bulbus of vestibule (orifices of urethra, vagina, greater & lesser vestibular glands)
Greater vestibular/Bartholin’s glands = secrete mucus to lubricate vagina; homologous to bulbourethral glands in male
- Bartholinitis = inflammation of Bartholin’s gland
- Bartholin’s cyst = blockage of Bartholin’s gland —> infection —> abscess
Lesser vestibular/Skene’s glands = ?female ejaculation
Outline the innervation of the uterus, vagina, and perineum.
Inferior 1/5 of vagina somatic innervation —> pudendal nerve
Superior 4/5 of vagina & uterus —> uterovaginal plexus
Perineum —> pudendal & ilioinguinal nerves (anaesthetised using pudendal nerve block)
note: pudendal nerve exits pelvis via greater sciatic foramen and enters the perineum via the lesser sciatic foramen (travels through pudendal canal)
note: pain afferents vary depending on whether structure is above or below the pelvic pain line (line through peritoneum at point of descent of uterus and other structures into peritoneum)
ABOVE = inferior thoracic lumbar spinal ganglia (~T1-T11) - sympathetic
BELOW = S2-S4 spinal ganglia - parasympathetic
Contrast the osteology of the male and female pelves.
FEMALE (gynecoid) MALE (android)
- round inlet - heart-shaped inlet - straight side walls - curved side walls (funnelling) - ischial spines not - prominent ischial spines too prominent - well-rounded greater - narrow greater sciatic notch sciatic notch - well-curved sacrum - sacrum not well-curved - sub-pubic arch > 90 degrees - sub-pubic arch 50-80 degrees
What are the pelvic outlet and pelvic inlet?
PELVIC OUTLET = distance between ischial tuberosities
PELVIC INLET = anteroposterior diameter (capacity of birth canal)
- bispinous diameter = distance between ischial spines
What is the difference between the true pelvis and the false pelvis?
False/greater pelvic = superior to the linea terminalis (no obstetric relevance)
Linea terminalis = arcuate line pecten pubis pubic crest
True/lesser pelvis = inferior to linea terminalis (complete bony canal, solid & immobile)
How can the anteroposterior diameter of the pelvis be assessed?
Anatomic conjugate cannot be measured
Obstetric conjugate (minimum diameter) = measured from sacral promontory to midpoint of pubic symphysis (posterior; not palpable)
- ~10cm
- only assessed by imaging
Diagonal conjugate (approximation of min. diameter but measurable) = measured from sacral promontory to inferior border of pubic symphysis (palpable)
- ~11.5cm
- assess by introducing 2 fingers into vagina to palpate sacral promontory and note where one’s hand under the edge of the pubis is
note: anterior = bony demarcation (pubic arch)
posterior = ligamentous demarcation (sacrotuberous ligament)
How does the appearance of the ovaries vary with age?
Pre-pubertal = indistinguishable from PCOS ovaries i.e. lots of cystic areas
Post-pubertal = enlarged and multifollicular
Post-menopausal = ~1.2-5.8cm cubed, lack of follicles, difficult to visualise
What are the anatomical relations of the vagina?
Anterior:
- base of bladder
- urethra (fused to ant. vaginal wall)
Posterior:
- rectum
- anal canal
- pouch of Douglas (most superiorly)
Lateral:
- ureters (just superior to lateral fornices, therefore can sometimes palpate ureteric stones from the vagina)
- broad ligaments (superiorly)
- levator ani muscles (inferiorly)
- greater vestibular glands (inferiorly)
What are the anatomical and surface borders of the perineum? How can the perineum be subdivided?
ANATOMICAL:
- anterior = pubic symphysis
- posterior = tip of coccyx
- anterolateral = ischiopubic ramus (inferior pubic rami, inferior ischial rami)
- lateral = ischial tuberosities
- posterolateral = sacrotuberous ligament
- posterior = tip of coccyx
- roof = pelvic floor
- base = skin & fascia
SURFACE:
- anterior = mons pubis/base of penis
- posterior = superior end of intergluteal cleft
- lateral = medial surface of thighs
Subdivided into anterior urogenital triangle & posterior anal triangle
What is the structure and contents of the anterior urogenital triangle?
Fills gap of pubic arch, stretching between converging ischiopubic rami
Superior fascia —> sphincter urethrae (striated muscle) —> Inferior fascia (perineal membrane)
CONTENTS: roots of external genitalia
- bulbourethral glands (above perineal membrane)
- superficial perineal pouch (urine collects here if urethra is ruptured below perineal membrane)
- Male = superficial transverse perineal membrane + bulbospongiosus + ischiocavernosus
- Female = openings of urethra & vagina