676 



THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF THE FEMALE. 



cons membrane. It consists of a more or less vascular connective-tissue 

 stroma covered with epithelium. The surface may be smooth or villous. 

 It may contain very numerous gland follicles, and then approaches the 

 type of adenoma, or even carcinoma. The stroma may be loose and 

 succulent, and resemble mucous tissue, forming the so-called mucous 

 polypi. In any of these forms the blood-vessels may be abundant and 

 dilated, forming telangiectatic or cavernous polypi. The adenomatous 

 polypi may become cystic from the dilatation of the gland follicles. 



Polypi of the uterus may be multiple or single, small or large. 

 Numerous smaller and larger papillary outgrowths from the mucous 

 membrane may occur in chron- 

 ic endometritis. Single polypi 

 may grow from the mucosa of 

 the body of the uterus or from 

 the cervix, and hang by a long 

 pedicle down into the vagina. 



The large number of glan- 

 dular structures in many of 

 these chronic inflammatory, 

 papillary, and polypoid out- 

 growths (Fig. 428) often jus- 

 tifies the name of adenomatous 

 hyperplasia of the mucous 

 membrane or of adenomatous 

 papillomata or polyps. 



Syphilitic papillary growths 

 in the form of pointed condy- 

 lomata may form finely papil- 

 lary, wart-like excrescences of 

 variable size, particularly on 

 the cervix. 



Myomata. These tumors, 

 whose characteristic structural 

 elements are smooth muscle 

 cells (see Fig. 173), are the 

 most common of uterine tumors 

 and while frequently of little 



practical importance are sometimes of serious import. They are espe- 

 cially common in negroes. They are most frequently composed of both 

 muscular and fibrous tissue fibroinyoniata but the relative amount of 

 the two kinds of tissue is subject to great variation. They are most apt 

 to occur after puberty, and usually in advanced life. They may be 

 single or multiple, small or of enormous size ; are usually sharply cir- 

 cumscribed, whitish or pink, dense and hard, or sometimes soft, and pre- 

 sent on section interlacing bands or irregular masses of glistening tissue. 

 Their favorite situation is in connection with the body of the uterus, 

 but they may occur in the cervix or in the folds of the broad ligaments. 



FIG. 438. UTERINE POLYP ADENOMATOUS OR GLA. 

 DULAR POLYP OF THE UTERUS POLYPOID HYPER- 

 PLASIA OF THE MCCOUS MEMBRANE IN CHRONIC ENDO- 

 METRITIS. 



