1050 



THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS 



The anterior peritoneal or utero-vesical ligaments are two ill-defined folds 

 whieh pass one on eaeli side from the cervix uteri to the l)ladder. 



Tlw3 muscular ligaments lying between the peritoneal folds are four pairs: 

 three in the broad ligaments, the round or utero-inguinal, the utero-ovarian, and 

 the utero-pelvic, and one in the posterior ligaments, the utero-sacral. They have 

 already lieen l)rieriy rt'ferrcil to. 



The round or utero-inguinal ligament (fig. 639) is a cord, about five inches in 

 length, attached to the uterus just below the Falloi)ian tube, and there continuous 

 with the superficial uterine fibres. From this point it runs obliquely downwards, 

 outwards, and forwards, innnediately beneath the anterior layer of the broad 

 ligament, to reach the pelvic wall; it then loops around the curve of the deep 

 epigastric artery on the inner side of the external iliac artery, and enters the inguinal 

 canal at the internal ring. In its course through the canal it is supplemented by a 

 set of striped fibres, some derived from the muscular walls of the abdomen, others 

 apparently of independent origin; and it may be accompanied by a tube of peri- 

 toneum, the canal of Nuck, which is constant in the foetus and not infrequently 

 persistent during childhood and even adult life. The ligament then gives off a few 



Fig. 641. — Section of the Pelvis showing the Ligaments of the Uterus. 



SYMPHYSIS 

 Prevesical fat 

 BLADDER WALL 



VESICAL CAVITY 



Obturator internus 

 Obturator fascia 



Subperitoneal 

 tissue 



Utero-pelvic 

 ligament 



Peritoneum 



Saoro-soiatie 

 ligament 



RECTUM 



Utero-sacral ligament 

 running forward into 

 recto-uterine liga- 

 ment 



Peritoneum of 

 utero-vesical 

 pouch 



Utero-vesical 

 ligament 



— Broad ligament 



Recto-vaginal pouch 

 of Douglas 



(*)^^_ } '''"''* 



of its newly acquired striped fibres to the pillars of the ring and to the pubic spine, 

 and, emerging from the external ring, finally breaks up into a number of delicate 

 fasciculi which become lost amongst the interlobular connective tissue of the large 

 pad of fat which occupies the labium majus. 



In structure it is composed of unsti'iped muscle with areolar and elastic tissue, 

 reinforced in the inguinal canal by striated muscular fibres and funicular vessels 

 and nerves. The funicular artery, conveyed by the round ligament, is a branch of 

 the superior vesical. It is accompanied by a plexus of veins, and anastomoses in 

 the labium with branches of the external pudic, and at the superior angle of the 

 uterus with the uterine and ovarian. 



The utero-sacral ligaments (fig. 641) are flat muscular l)ands, extending from 

 the highest part of the cervix uteri, where they are more or less continuous with 

 the uterine fibres in the recto-uterine peritoneal folds, to the sides of the sacrum 

 opposite the loAver border of the sacro-iliac synchondroses. They run one on each 

 side of tlie rectum near the junction of the first and second stages of this portion of 

 the intestine, closely connected with its muscular coat, and more anteriorly are in 

 lateral relation with the pouch of Douglas. 



