378 DISSECTION OF THE PELVIS. 



degrees by the bowel when distended, which is styled the para-rectal 

 fossa. 



Sacro- The para-rectal fossa is limited in front by a fold (the sacro- 



ld ' genital fold) which passes from the front of the sacrum on either side 



on to the seminal vesicles or cervix uteri, as the case may be. It is 



Contains a strong fold containing fibrous and some imstriped muscular tissue. 



muacle* 1 ^ n ^ ront ^ an ^ above the sacro-genital fold along the wall 



of the pelvis will be seen a fold produced by the ureter as it passes 



Middle downwards to the lateral angles of the bladder. The slight hollow 



between the sacro-genital fold and the ureter is spoken of as the 



middle fossa of the pelvis. 



Para-vesical In front of the ureter is a hollow on either side of the empty 

 bladder which is appropriately named the para-vesical fossa. In the 

 male the vas deferens will be seen passing downwards along the side 

 of the pelvis towards the back of this fossa. 



Transverse Passing out wards from the upper part of the bladder when empty, 



vesical fold. acrosg t jj e p e i v j c noor on to the side of the pelvis at the fore part of 



the para-vesical fossa, is a fold (the transverse vesical fold) which 



passes over the brim of the pelvis towards the internal abdominal 



ring and often corresponds to the course of the superior vesical artery. 



From the summit and upper surface of the bladder the peritoneum 



is reflected on to the wall of the pelvis and abdomen leaving the 



front and lower part of that organ entirely uncovered by peritoneum. 



Distended When the bladder is distended and rises into the abdomen a part 



of this uncovered surface is in contact with the anterior abdominal 



wall above the pubic bones, and the bladder may be opened through 



it without injury to the peritoneum. 



Bladder in It should be pointed out that in the child the bladder is only 

 the child, accommodated to a small extent in the pelvis and its anterior surface 

 is in contact with the anterior abdominal wall above the pubis, 

 having no peritoneal investment in front. 



False liga- The reflectives of the peritoneum on to the walls of the pelvis 

 Sadder f the are commonly described as the false ligaments of the bladder, but it 

 is not a satisfactory terminology. The superior false ligament is the 

 peritoneum covering the uraches which extends from the summit 

 of the bladder to the anterior abdominal wall. The lateral false 

 ligaments are the peritoneal reflections on each side from the bladder 

 to the pelvic wall ; and the posterior false ligaments are simply the 

 peritoneal coverings of the sacro-genital folds. 



Outline of THE PELVIC FASCIA. Lining the wall of the pelvis is a thin 

 the peivfe f ^ asc ^ a (p e l v i c )> which covers the obturator internus and pyriformis 



muscles, and sends a process inwards to support the viscera. 



Steps to Dissection. To bring into view the pelvic fascia, the external 



pelvic ( iliac vessels, and the psoas (if this has not been removed in the 



fascia : dissection of the lumbar plexus), are to be taken away on the left 



side of the body. The obturator vessels and nerve are to be cut 



in the through on the same side ; and the peritoneum being detached from 



the wall of the pelvis, the fascia will be seen on scraping away with 



the handle of the scalpel a quantity of fat. The fascia is strong in 



part but is thin towards the back and in this part the student 



