Bassett Collection of Stereoscopic Images of Human Anatomy

Collection Home

Dissection of female pelvis from a lateral approach

Uterosacral ligament and cardinal ligament of uterus, medial view

Image #162-2

KEYWORDS: Bones joints cartilage, Uterus, Muscles and tendons, Vasculature.

Larger View

Creative Commons

These images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Higher resolution images are available for a fee. Contact Drew Bourn, PhD, MLIS.

Dissection of female pelvis from a lateral approach

Uterosacral ligament and cardinal ligament of uterus, medial view

The peritoneal covering of the rectouterine fold previously illustrated (161-4) has now been removed. The uterus and vagina have been pulled anteriorly to expose the smooth muscle and fibrous tissue (4) that occupies this fold and extends from the uterus and vaginal wall to the lateral and posterior walls of the pelvic cavity. Although it appears as a continuous sheet, this tissue has usually been subdivided into uterosacral and cardinal (or lateral cervical) ligaments. The former is also identified as the m. rectouterinus and the latter as Mackenrodt's ligament. In subsequent dissections of this series it may be seen that the pelvic plexus of nerves as well as several blood vessels are incorporated within these ligaments.

1 .	Coccyx
2 .	Pelvic diaphragm
3 .	Superior rectal artery
4 .	Upper pointer: Rectouterinus muscle (uterosacral ligament) Lower pointer: Cardinal ligament (of Mackenrodt)
5 .	Rectum
6 .	External anal sphincter muscle
7 .	Longitudinal muscle of anal canal
8 .	Central tendon of perineum
9 .	Vestibule of vagina
10 .	External urethral opening
11 .	Superior hypogastric plexus (note that these fibers become incorporated below in the uterosacral ligament)
12 .	Internal iliac vein
13 .	Internal iliac artery
14 .	Ureter
15 .	External iliac vein
16 .	Internal iliac lymph node
17 .	Ovary (retracted anteriorly)
18 .	Uterus
19 .	Posterior wall of vagina
20 .	Urinary bladder
21 .	Pubic symphysis
22 .	Vagina