Pelvic Floor Flashcards
What is the pelvic floor?
A muscular and fibrous tissue diaphragm
Where is the pelvic floor?
It fills the lower part of the pelvic canal, and closes the abdominal cavity
What does the pelvic floor define?
The upper border of the perineum
What does the pelvic floor support?
The pelvic organs
What is the pelvic floor pierced by?
- Urethra
- Vagina
- Rectum
How are the structures piercing the pelvic floor held closed at rest?
By muscle tone
What can the pelvic floor be split into?
- Pelvic diaphragm
- Superficial muscles and structures
What does the pelvic diaphragm consist of?
Levator ani and cocygeus, and related fascial coverings
What are the superficial muscles and structures of the pelvic wall?
- Anterior/urogenital perineum
- Posterior/anal perineum
What is the pelvic side wall made up of?
- Ischium of pelvis
- Sacrospinous and sacrotuberous ligaments
- Obturator membrane
- Obturator nerve
- Obturator internus
- Piriformis and coccygeus
- Branches of sacral plexus
- -Fascia (includes arcus tendineus)
- Levator ani muscles
- Internal iliac vessels and branches
- Ureters
What happens to the fascia of the obturator internus?
It condenses to become the origin of the levator ani
What is the pelvic floor made up of?
- Levator ani
- Coccygeus
Where does the levator ani originate from?
From the posterior aspect of the pubic bone, the fascia over the obturator internus, and ischial spine
Where do the anterior fibres of the levator ani attach?
Around the prostate or vagina
Where do the intermediate fibres of the levator ani go?
Around rectum (puborectalis) and into anococcygeal body (pubococcygeus)
Where do the posterior fibres of the levator ani attach?
Anococcygeal body and coccyx (iliococcygeus)
What does the coccygeus lie over posteriorly?
The sacrospinous ligament
What is the pelvic floor attached to?
The pelvic side wall
Where is the pelvic floor attached to the pelvic side wall?
At the ischial spine and the arcus tendineus fascia pelvis
What is the purpose of the urogenital hiatus in the pelvic floor?
It allows passage of urethra, vagina, and rectum
What is found between the levator ani and the perineum?
The ischiorectal fossa
What is the ischiorectal fossa continuous with?
- The perineal space
- Ischiorectal fat of buttocks
What is the result of the ischiorectal fossa being continuous with the perineal space?
- Perineal/buttock abscesses can spread, causing inflammation in the pelvis
- Infection in the pelvis can track to the buttocks
What passes along the lateral wall of the ischiorectal fossa?
The pudendal nerve
Where can the subperitoneal space be seen?
Above the levator ani muscles, but below the peritoneum
What is the importance of the subperitoneal space?
- It is where the uterine artery enters
- Ureters pass through the space
- Lymphatic drainage from the uterus and cervix leaves through here