FALLOPIAN TUBE OR OVIDUCT (ABNORMAL ANATOMV). 



Fig. 420. 



617 



The Fallopian tubes tied down by false membranes to the ovaries and adjacent structures. (After Hooper.) 

 a, uterus; b, Fallopian tubes (the infundibula obliterated); d, ovaries; ee, bands of false membrane. 



tarrhal inflammation along the lining mem- 

 brane of the tube, which, spreading to the 

 fimbriated extremity, gives rise to peritoneal 

 inflammation in the vicinity of the orifice, so 

 that the free terminations of the tube are 

 hound down to the adjacent parts, seems to 

 offer the truest explanation of the nature and 

 origin of this peculiar condition of the parts. 

 See/g. 409. 



In some of these cases, however, there ap- 

 pears to have been something more than a 

 mere process of exudative inflammation at 

 work. The parts upon examination appear 

 to have become blended bv a combined pro- 

 cess of absorption of the fimbriae, and at the 

 same time of firm agglutination of the infun- 

 dibular base to the surface of the ovary ; so 

 that it may be difficult to find any precise line 

 of demarcation between these parts, except 

 that which a difference of colour may furnish. 



Hyj)crcemia or congestion of the tissues of 

 the tube is very commonly observed. It is 

 apparently a normal state during healthy 

 menstruation, but may be regarded as morbid 

 when associated at other times with deep 

 congestion of the uterus and ovaries. 



A state of hyperaemia of the tube has been 

 found associated with effusion of blood into 

 its canal, and the escape of a portion of this 

 fluid into the abdomen through the infundi- 

 bular orifice. 



Hyperaemia of the tube occurs as a semi- 

 normal condition in cases of tubal pregnancy. 



Inflammatory lesions of the tube may pre- 

 sent the characteristic conditions of acute or 

 of chronic inflammation. The former is com- 

 monly seen in cases of puerperal metro-peri- 

 tonitis, where the inflammation attacking 

 usually the uterus first has extended to the 

 ovaries and tubes. " The tubes are tumified 



and infiltrated ; their mucous membrane is 

 variously reddened, discoloured, excoriated, 

 softened and everted at the fimbriated ex- 

 tremity. The passage of the tube is dilated, 

 especially at its outer end, and filled with 

 various products, purulent and sanious fluids, 

 and in uterine croup with coagulable lymph, 

 assuming the shape of a tubular concretion, 

 the exudative process having extended from 

 the uterus to the tube." * 



But more commonly the traces of inflam- 

 mation are found in the peritoneal coat, which 

 highly congested and covered by flakes of 

 lymph, partakes in the general inflammatory 

 condition of the adjacent serous surfaces. 



In the non-puerperal state, or as a sequel 

 of puerperal affections, inflammation usually 

 takes the form of catarrh or blennorrhoea of 

 the mucous membrane of the tube. The 

 usual evidences of such an affection are, a 

 certain amount of tumefaction of the mucous 

 lining, with thickening of the delicate plicae 

 covering it, and dark congestion of the capil- 

 lary vessels. Within the tubal canal are found 

 collections of mucus variously coloured, being 

 sometimes viscid, or occasionally cream-like, 

 yellow and purulent (Jig. 421.). 



The chronic inflammations of the serous 

 coat of the tube, which result in various ad- 

 hesions of this part to surrounding structures, 

 have been already noticed. 



Collections of fluid within the tuhc result from 

 a combination of two or more of the foregoing 

 conditions. These fluids consist of blood", 

 menstrual fluid, mucus, serum, or pus, and 

 sometimes of these in various states of ad- 

 mixture. 



Collections of blood, or of a bloody fluid with- 

 in the tube, are occasioned by hyperaenaia of 



* Rokitansky. Patholog. Anat. Vol. II. p. 32G. 



