Rectum And Anal Canal Flashcards
Rectum
. 5 inches long
. Continuous proximally w/ the sigmoid colon rectosigmoid junction at S3) and distally w/ anal canal (at puborectalis m.)
. Retroperitoneal: sup. 1/3 has peritoneum on ant. And lat. surface, middle 1/3 has it on ant. Surface, inf. 1/3 has no peritoneal covering
. 2 flexures laerally, 3 anteriorly
What is found posterior to rectum?
. Last 3 sacral vertebrae and coccyx
. Anococcygeal ligament and piriformis mm.
. Sacral vessels and nerves
. Sympathetic trunks
What structures are directly anterior to rectum?
. Males: bladder, ureters, prostate, ductus deferens, seminal vesicles, rectovesical pouch, rectovesical septum
. Females: vagina and uterus, rectouterine pouch, rectouterine (vaginal) septum
What structures are lateral to rectum
. Pelvic colon
. Ileum
. Coccygeus
. Levator ani m.
Lateral flexures of rectum
. Sacral flexure: rectum following curve of sacrum and coccyx
. Anorectal flexure: rectum ends anteroinferior to tip of coccyx by turning sharply posteroinferiorly as it goes through pelvic diaphragm (angle caused by encircling fibers of puborectalis)
Rectum curvatures
. Superior, middle, and inferior curvatures
. Due to 3 internal infoldings of mucous and submucous coats overlying part of circular muscle layer of rectal wall (transverse rectal folds)
. Olds help support rectal contents
. Sup. And inf. Curves are concave to the left
. Middle curve is concave to the right
Anal canal
. Inf. 1.5 inches of GI tract
. Continuous w/ rectum at anorectal junction (marked by anorectal flexure)
. Inf. Opening of anal canal: anal orifice/anus
Anatomical relations of the anal canal
. Post.: coccyx and anococcygeal ligament
. Ant.: perineal body (central tendon of perineum)
. Lat.: external anal sphincter, ischioanal fossa
Muscular layer of anal canal wall
. Internal anal sphincter: thickening of circular smooth muscle layer of rectum under ANS control
. External anal sphincter: voluntary skeletal muscle, subcutaneous portion (directly under skin forming complete ring), superficial portion (elliptical, tip of coccyx/anococcygeal ligament to perineal body)m and deep portion (completely encircles anus)
. Innervated by inf. Rectal n. From pudendal n.
Anal columns
. Series of 5-10 longitudinal ridges in anal canal
. Contain terminal branches of sup. Rectal a. And v.
. Anorectal junction indicated by superior ends of anal columns
Anal sinuses
. Depressions btw adjacent columns, sup. To anal valves
. When compressed by poo, anal sinuses exude mucus that aids in evacuation of feces
Anal valves
. Horizontal folds of tissue, joins inf. Ends of adjacent anal columns
Anal crypt
. Inf. Portion of anal sinus
. Deep to anal valve
. Fecal matter can become trapped here causing infection
Pectinate line
. Irregular comb-shaped line drawn around circumference of anal canal
. Connects all anal valves
. Sup. To line: from endoderm
. Inf. To line: from ectoderm
. Areas sup, and inf. To line have different blood supply, innervation, and lymph drainage
Sup. Rectal a.
. Unpaired
. Terminal branch of inf. Mesenteric a.
. Supplies rectum and sup. Part of anal canal to level of anal columns
Middle rectal a.
. Paired
. From internal iliac aa.
. Supplies inf. 1/3 of rectum and anal canal
. Supplies muscular layer of anal canal
Inferior rectal a.
. Paired
. From internal pudendal aa.
. Supplies inf. Part of anal canal
. Anastomoses w/ sup. Rectal a. At level of anal columns
Superior rectal v.
. Sup. Tp pectinate line
. Drains into portal system via inf. Mesenteric v.
. Inc. portal pressure (portal hypertension) can cause internal hemorrhoids
Middle rectal v.
. Drains muscular layer
. Forms anastomoses w/sup. And inf. Rectal vv.
. Drains into internal iliac v.
Inf. Rectal vv.
. Inf. To pectinate line
. Drains into internal iliac vv. Via internal pudendal v.
Sympathetic innervation of rectum and anal canal
. From upper lumbar levels via inf. Mesenteric plexus
. Dec. peristalsis, maintains tone of internal anal sphincter
Parasympathetic innervation of rectum and anal canal
. From pelvic splanchnics (S2-4) via inf. Hypogastric plexus
. Inc. peristalsis, relaxes internal anal sphincter
Sensory innervation sup. To pectinate line
. Visceral afferents
. Primarily sensitive to stretching
. Pathology: silent, not painful
Sensory innervation inf. To pectinate line
. Somatic afferents
. Pathology: painful
Lymph drainage sup. To pectinate line compared with inf. To pectinate line
. Sup: internal iliac nodes
. Inf: inguinal nodes
Difference btw hemorrhoids above and below pectinate line
Above: internal hemorrhoids converged w/ mucosa
. Below: external hemorrhoids covered w/ skin
Sacral plexus roots
. Ventral rami L4-S4
. Comprised fo lumbosacral trunk (L4-55, S1-3, part of S4)
. Ventral rami of S2-3 emerge btw digitations of piriformis m.
. Ventral rami divide into ant. And post. Divisions
Sacral plexus muscular branches
. Sciatic n. . Pudendal n. . Sup. Gluteal n. . Inf. Gluteal n. . N. To piriformis (S1-2) . N. To quadratus femoris and inf. Gemellus (L4-5, S1) . N. To obturator internus and sup. Gemellus (L5, S1-2) . N. To levator ani and coccygeus (S3-4)
Sciatic n.
. L4-S3
. Largest branch of sacral plexus
. To lower extremity
. Tibia and common fibular (peroneal) divisions
. Exits greater sciatic foramen to gluteal region inf. To piriformis
Pudendal n. (S2-4)
. Goes to perineum
. Exits greater sciatic foramen inf. To piriformis
. Courses around sacrospinous ligament, through lesser sciatic foramen, and enters pudendal canal
Sup. Gluteal n.
. L4-S1
. To gluteal region
. Sup. To piriformis, exits greater sciatic foramen
Inferior gluteal n.
. To gluteal region
. Inf. To piriformis, exits greater sciatic foramen
Cutaneous branch of sacral plexus
. Posterior femoral cutaneous n.
. S2-3
Sacral sympathetic trunks
. Descend on pelvic surface of sacrum med. to ventral sacral foramina
. Preganglionic sympathetic fibers synapse
in sacral sympathetic chain ganglia and Postganglionic fibers travel via gray communicantes to sacral and coccygeal nn. That distribute to body wall
. Preganglionic fibers come off of sympathetic trunk as sacral splanchnics that synapse in inf. Hypogastric plexus and go to viscera
Ganglion impar
. Midline structure formed by convergence of sacral sympathetic trunks
. Lies in front of coccyx
Lumbar sympathetic trunks
. Preganglionic sympathetic fibers leave trunk as lumbar splanchnic n.
. Splanchnic nn. Synapse in inf. Mesenteric ganglia and plexus
. Postganglionic sympathetic fibers travel through sup. Hypogastric plexus, inf. Hypogastric plexus, and smaller visceral plexuses and then to viscera
Sacral plexus parasympathetic nn.
. S2-4
. Pelvic splanchnic nn. (Preganglionic) leave ventral rami
. Joins inf. Hypogastric plexus
Superior hypogastric plexus
. Formed by inf. Prolongation of aortic plexus
. Divides into R/L hypogastric nn.
. Enter pelvis on either side of pelvis
. Hypogastric nn. Join w. Pelvic splanchnics to form inf. Hypogastric plexus
Inferior hypogastric plexus
. Gives rise to smaller, specific visceral plexuses
Posterior division of iliac a.
. 3 parietal branches
. Iliolumbar a.: upward btw obturator n. And lumbosacral trunk
. Lat. sacral a.: descends along ventral sacral foramina, sends spinal branches through foramina to sacral canal, skin, and muscle over sacrum
. Sup. Gluteal a.: btw lumbosacral trunk and S1, exits pelvic cavity through greater sciatic foramen (sup. to piriformis m.)tp gluteal region
Anterior division of iliac a.
. 6 branches, parietal and visceral . Umbilical a. . Inf. Vesical a. . Middle rectal a. . Obturator a. . Internal pudendal a. . Inf. Gluteal a.
Umbilical a.
. Along side wall of pelvis
. Gives off sup. Vesical aa. To bladder
. Becomes medial umbilical ligaments on internal surface of anterolateral abdominal wall after last sup. Vesical branch
Inf. Vesical a.
. To bladder, ureter (M: seminal vesicles and prostate)
. Gives off a. To vas deferens in male
Middle rectal a.
. To rectum
. Prostate and seminal vesicles in males too
Obturator a.
. To med. thigh
. Rounds alongside pelvic wall w/ obturator n.
. Exits pelvis through obturator foramen
. Variation: arises from inf. Epigastric a. In 40% people
Inferior gluteal a.
. To gluteal region
. Exits pelvis btw S2-3
. Inf. To piriformis m.
Male/female differences in branches of internal iliac a.
. Females: uterine a. Replaces inf. Vesical a.
. Females have separate vaginal a. That may give off inf. Vesical a.
Uterine a.
. Courses in base of broad ligament to uterus
. Has ascending and descending branches
Pelvic venous drainage
. Internal iliac vv and tributaries
. Vv correspond to aa except that iliolumbar vv. Don’t drain into internal iliac vv., but into common iliac vv.
. Anastomoses w/ portal venous system in area of rectum/anal canal