Pelvic Floor Flashcards
Pelvic diaphragm
Musculofascial - forms the internal floor of the pelvic floor
Fascia
Muscles - Coccygeus and Levator ani group
Fascia
Sheet of connective tissue - strong in all directions sue to collagen fibres running in every direction
Primarily collagen
Surrounds, supports and encloses
Forms compartments - lining the bowls of the pelvis
Obturator facia
Sits on top of the obturator internus
Loops through the pelvis and out to become an important hip rotator muscle
Superior pelvic diaphragm (facia)
Overlies the muscle tissue that closes off the base of the abdomen and bowl of the pelvis
Walls of the pelvic floor - anterior wall
Pubic bone
Pubic symphysis
Walls of the pelvic floor - posterior wall
Sacrum
Coccyx
Lined with the anterior longitudinal ligament
Walls of the pelvic floor - lateral wall
Obturators - internus, obturator facia sister on top of the muscle, attaches to the greater trochanter
Piriformis - from sacrum out of the bowl of the pelvis to greater trochanter, lateroposterior wall
Coccygeus - on the sacrospinous ligament, inserts into ischial spine
Sacrotuberous ligament
Iliac bones
Iliacus
Muscles of the pelvic diaphragm - Coccygeus
Lays on the sacrospinous ligament
Inserts to the ischial spine
Muscles of the pelvic diaphragm - Levator ani group
Iliococcygeus
Puborectalis
Pubococcygeus
Muscles of the pelvic diaphragm - Levator ani group; Iliococcygeus
Tendinous, structural
Runs from the obturator facia to the anococcygeal body
Muscles of the pelvic diaphragm - Levator ani group: puborectalis
Forms a loop from the pubic bone round behind the rectum then back to the pubic bone
Helps maintain the ano-rectum angle
Damage can lead to faecal incontinence
Muscles of the pelvic diaphragm - Levator ani group: Pubococcygeus
Runs from the pubic bone to the anococcygeal body
Anococcygeal body
Strip of fibrous tissue that acts as an insertion point
Supports the anus by linking across the coccyx
Muscles of the pelvic diaphragm - pubovaginalis
From the pubis, around the vagina back to the pubis
Inserts on the periano body - collection of connective tissue
Supports the action of the vaginal sphincter
Guards against urinary incontinence
Maintains tone of vaginal wall
Urogenital hiatus
Area that the vagina and ureter passes
Levator ani main roles
Closes the inferior opening - support and tone
Supports pelvic organs and baby if pregnant
Actively controls defecation - puborectalis muscle tone, puborectum sling
Nerve supply
Levator ani group - pudendal nerve via the spinal roots of S2, S3 and S4
Coccygeus - spinal root of S4 and S5
Pundenal nerve
Impulses to the Levator ani group, external genitalia, bladder sphincter, anus and perineum
Target for nerve blockers during child birth
Perineal membrane
Strong and heavy
Connective tissue facia
Posterior aspect is open - not heavily attached to the muscles above, create and area for the deep perineal pouch
Supports external genitalia
Deep perineal pouch - deep transverse perineal muscle
Strap like
Found within the deep perineal pouch
Sits beneath the perineal membrane
Helps stabilise the perineal body
Deep perineal pouch - compressor urethrae
Only in women
Helps close the urethra
Support the external urethral sphincter
Guard against urinary incontinence
Fine, grassile strap of muscle
Deep perineal pouch - urethrovaginalis
Only in women
Loop of muscle
Supports the vaginal and urethral openings
Assists the closure of the vagina
Guard against urinary incontinence
