Pelvic walls and floor Flashcards
What are the 2 main parts of levator ani?
Pubococcygeus - more medially
Iliococcygeus - more laterally
Describe the parietal pelvic fascia of the pelvis
Covers the internal wall of the pelvis. Thickens over the obturator internus to form the tendinous arch of the pelvis and levator ani
Anteriorly it forms the puboprostatic ligament and the pubovesical ligament
Describe the endopelvic fascia
Acts as a packing material around the organs and there are 2 types - loose and condensed
Loose fills spaces in the pelvic e.g. the retropubic (pre-vesical) space
Condensed are thickenings of the fascia e.g. the hypogastric sheaths running along the posterolateral walls of the pelvis
Describe the attachments of iliacus muscle
Originates at the iliac fossa
Joins with the psoas muscle to create iliopsoas
Inserts into the lesser trochanter of the femur
What is the perineal body?
A small piece of fibrous tissue that lies in the pelvic floor at the edge of the urogenital diaphragm between the openings of the vagina (female), urethra (male) and the anal canal
Describe the visceral pelvic fascia
Covers the pelvic organs. The parietal and visceral fascia blend as the organs pierce the pelvic floor.
Lateral extension of the visceral fascia from the vagina to the tendinous arch forms the paracolpium
Describe the sacrum and its articulations
Formed of 5 fused sacral vertebrae
Articulates with the L5 vertebrae and the coccyx
What muscles attach to the perineal body?
Puboprostaticus
Pubovaginalis
External anal sphincter
Perineal muscles
What is this muscle and its functions?
Psoas
Hip flexion and bends trunk laterally (one)
Raise trunk from a supine position (both)
What muscle is highlighted?
Coccygeus
Describe the path taken by the fibres of pubococcygeus?
The fibres pass from the pubic bones to wrap around the prostate/vagina and the rectum
The fibres that wrap around the vagina and prostate insert into the perineal body and are named puboprostaticus and pubovaginalis
In both sexes the more posterior fibres continue to wrap around the rectum - puborectalis
What are the attachments of piriformis?
Originates on anterior/pelvic surface of the sacrum
Passes through greater sciatic foramen to cross the gluteal region
Inserts into greater trochanter of femur
What are some of the features that increase the internal diameter of the female pelvis?
Pubic angle at the pubic symphysis is wider
Ischial spines don’t protrude into the pelvic cavity as markedly
Sacrum is flatter than what is seen in a male
What is the innervation of the iliacus muscle?
Femoral nerve
What is the innervation of the psoas muscle?
Lumbar plexus - direct branches of L2-4 anterior rami
What joint classifications are the lumbosacral and pubic symphysis joints of the pelvis?
Secondary cartilagenous - allows for the cushioning of stresses passing into the pelvis from the trunk and passing around the pelvic bowl
What is the role of the cocygeus muscle?
Supports the pelvic viscera and flexion of the coccyx
What muscle is highlighted?
The puborectalis of the pubococcygeus
What is the classic shape of the female pelvis?
Gynecoid
What is this muscle and its function?
Obturator internus
Lateral rotation of the hip
What muscle is highlighted?
Pubococcygeus
What are the attachments of iliococcygeus?
Attaches to obturator internus fascia - the tendinous arch of levator ani
Attaches to the anococcygeal ligament also called the levator plate
What is the role of the levator ani?
Supports the pelvic viscera and prevents prolapse of pelvic organs - contract during forced expiration and coughing etc.
Relaxes to allow urination and defecation
What is this muscle and its innervation?
Piriformis - nerve to piriformis, a direct branch of the sacral plexus (S1, S2)
What nerves form on the superior surface of the piriformis muscle?
Sciatic and pudendal nerves
What are the attachments of obturator externus?
Outer surface of the obturator membrane to the trochanteric fossa of the femur
What are the attachments of posas?
Originates at T12-L4 bodies and intervertebral discs (superficial) and L1-L5 (deep)
Joins with iliacus as iliopsoas
Inserts into the lesser trochanter of the femur
What forms the inguinal ligament?
The aponeurosis of the external oblique as it rolls over itself to create the anterior wall and floor of the inguinal canal
What structures does the pubococcygeus support?
Supports the vagina in women and the prostate gland in men. Also supports the rectum. Divided into further parts; - Puborectalis - Puboprostaticus - Pubovaginalis
What muscle is highlighted?
Coccygeus
What is the function of piriformis?
Lateral rotation of the hip
What are the 2 muscle blocks that make up the pelvic diaphragm?
Levator Ani (anteriorly) Coccygeus (posteriorly)
What is the classic shape of the male pelvis?
Android
What is the innervation of levator ani?
Nerve to levator ani and the pudendal nerve
What forms the pelvis?
2 inominate bones that articulate with each other and the sacrum
What muscle is highlighted and what is its function?
Iliacus - hip flexion
What are the attachments of the coccygeus muscle?
Ischial spine and sacrospinous ligament
Attaches to the coccyx and inferior sacrum
What are the 2 large ligaments of the sacrum?
Sacrotuberous
Sacrospinous
What are the boundaries of the pelvis?
Anterior wall is bony - pubic bones, rami and symphysis
Posterior wall is bony - sacrum and coccyx
Laterally - piriformis
Floor - is the muscular pelvic diaphragm
Superior inlet is open to the abdominal cavity
What is the innervation of obturator internus?
Nerve to the obturator internus direct from the sacral plexus (L5, S1)
What are the different fascia types of the pelvis?
Parietal pelvic fascia
Visceral pelvic fascia
Endopelvic fascia
Describe the sacroiliac joints
Combination of a synovial plane joint anteriorly, that is protected by the anterior sacroiliac joint and a fibrous joint posteriorly that is protected by the posterior sacroiliac joint
True or False?
The pelvic contents are retroperitoneal
False! - the are subperitoneal
The pelvic contents are covered by a continuation of the peritoneal lining of the abdominal cavity which is what forms the pouches in males and females
What muscle covers the external surface of the obturator foramen?
Obturator externus
What muscle is highlighted?
Illyococcygeus
What is the innervation of coccygeus?
Direct branches from the sacral plexus - S4, S5
What are the attachments of obturator internus?
Inner surface of the obturator membrane to the medial surface of the greater trochanter of the femur
Describe the attachments of the sacral ligaments
Sacrotuberous passes to the ischial tuberosity
Sacrospinous passes to the ischial spine
Forms the posterior boundaries of the greater and lesser sciatic foraminae
What is the role of puborectalis?
Acts to maintain faecal continence by bending the rectum
There is a small amount of tonic contraction to support the pelvic organs but the muscle can further contract to increase the bend in the rectum or it can relax making it straighten, allowing faeces to pass through