Abstract
The uterus is a pear-shaped organ made up of a fundus, body, isthmus and cervix. The
fallopian tube enters at each superolateral angle, above which lies the fundus. The
cervix is gripped by the vagina to form a supra-vaginal and a vaginal part. The uterine
canal traverses the internal os and emerges as the external os at the vaginal vault.
The uterine body is flexed on the cervix (anteflexion) while the whole uterus is tipped
forward (anteversion). Variations of these positions, termed retroflexion and retroversion,
may occur in normal anatomy as well as under pathological circumstances. The ureter
has an important relationship to the uterus, lying above the lateral fornix, about
12 mm from the supravaginal cervix. Here it is crossed superiorly by the uterine vessels
and is at risk of injury in pelvic surgery, especially hysterectomy. In the child,
the cervix is twice the size of the uterine body, but at puberty the body enlarges
to its adult proportions. The cervical os is circular, but becomes a transverse slit
in the parous woman. The cervix is normally firm, but feels soft in pregnancy. The
details of the arterial supply, venous drainage, lymphatic drainage, peritoneal coverings
and anatomical relationships are described.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Anaesthesia & Intensive Care MedicineAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
Article Info
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 Published by Elsevier Inc.
