Female Pelvis and Perineum Flashcards
What completely envelops the uterine tubes?
Broad ligament
What are the ovaries suspended by?
Mesovarium
What are the ligaments that support the pelvis viscera made of?
Condensations of pelvic fascia
What is the role of the broad ligaments and what runs through them?
Broad ligaments are transverse mesenteries joining the uterus to the pelvic walls. They contains the uterine tubes and the uterine arteries.
What is the top part of the uterus called?
Fundus
What are the four parts of the fallopian tube?
Isthmus, Ampulla, Infundibulum, Fimbriae
What are the three ligaments that hold the cervix in place?
Pubocervical Ligament
Transverse (cardinal) Ligament
Uterosacral Ligament
These prevent the cervix from prolapsing
How is there a potential communication between the peritoneal cavity and the exterior via the reproductive passage?
The fallopian tubes open into the peritoneal cavity via the abdominal ostium of the uterine tube. This forms a connection between the exterior and the peritoneal cavity through the abdominal ostium of the uterine tube.
What are the two openings of the cervix?
Internal Os
External Os
What is the term for the opening of the fallopian tube into the uterus?
Uterine Ostium
Describe how the uterus changes in size throughout pregnancy.
The fundus rises up the abdomen. In the 10th month the fundus is lower than in the 9th month.
Describe the epithelial lining of the cervical canal.
Simple columnar epithelium - with goblet cells
Describe the epithelial lining of the vaginal surface of the cervix.
Non-keratinising stratified squamous epithelium - this is what is tested in the smear test
Describe the orientation of the axis of the cervix in relation to the axis of the vagina.
The axis of the cervix is at 90 degrees to the axis of the vagina
What is the normal arrangement of the uterine body, the cervix and the vagina?
Uterine body is anteflexed on the cervix
Cervix is anteverted on the vagina
How long is a normal vagina?
7-9 cm
Which fornix is important clinically?
Posterior fornix
What can be felt in the digital examination through the vagina?
Ischial spine Ovaries Uterine artery pulse Cervix Sacral Promontory
What are the main branches of the internal iliac artery that supply the pelvic viscera?
Superior Vesical Artery
Uterine Artery
Middle Rectal Artery
Which branches supply the walls of the pelvis?
Sacral, Gluteal and Obturator Branches
What artery supplies the perineum and the recto-anal region?
Pudendal Artery
Where is there an arterial anastomosis in the pelvic region?
Ovarian artery and the uterine artery both supply the ovaries and they anastomose.
What are the two divisions of the uterine artery?
Ascending Branch - supplies the uterus and ovary (along with the ovarian artery)
Descending Branch - Vaginal Artery (equivalent of inferior vesical in men) - supplies the vagina
Where are eggs from the ovary initially released into?
Into the peritoneal cavity because the ovary is on the posterior surface of the broad ligament
How is the bulbospongiosus different in women?
It splits into two around the vestibule of the vagina
What makes up the body and glans of the clitoris?
Body - corpora cavernosae
Glans - corpus spongiosum
Describe the arrangement of sphincters in the deep perineal pouch.
Part of the pelvic floor muscles form compressor urethrae (compresses the urethra)
Parts of the fibres from here combine with the external urethral sphincter to for sphincter urethrovaginalis.
It wraps around the urethra and keeps it closed.
What is the collective name for female external genitalia?
Vulva
What gland in women is the equivalent of the prostate in men?
Skene’s gland (Paraurethral gland)
REMEMBER: nerve supply is the same in women
Which lymph nodes do the pelvic organs drain to?
External and internal iliac lymph nodes
Where do the ovaries and testes drain to?
Para-aortic lymph nodes
Where do the perineum and external genitalia drain to?
Superficial inguinal nodes
