Bassett Collection of Stereoscopic Images of Human Anatomy

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Dissection of female pelvis from a lateral approach

Interior of left side of pelvic cavity; sacral plexus; pelvic diaphragm

Image #163-5

KEYWORDS: Muscles and tendons, Peripheral nervous system, Vasculature, Bones joints cartilage, Peripheral nervous system.

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

Dissection of female pelvis from a lateral approach

Interior of left side of pelvic cavity; sacral plexus; pelvic diaphragm

The pelvic blood vessels have been resected to reveal the component parts of the sacral plexus. The origin of the pelvic diaphragm in this specimen extends nearly to the pelvic brim with the result that there is no tendinous arch such as the one shown in 174-7. The larger divisions of the levator ani muscle that are usually described as distinct muscles (m. puborectalis, m. pubococcygeus and m. iliococcygeus) are not clearly separable here.

1 .	Promontory
2 .	Lumbosacral trunk (pointer on branch from lumbar nerve V)
3 .	Lateral sacral artery
4 .	Ramus communicans
5 .	Sympathetic trunk
6 .	Sacral venous plexus
7 .	Pelvic surface of sacrum
8 .	Sacral nerve I
9 .	Sacral nerve II
10 .	Piriform muscle
11 .	Sacral nerve IV
12 .	Sacral nerve III
13 .	Muscular branch of sacral nerve IV to levator ani muscle
14 .	Sacral plexus
15 .	Left pointer: Internal pudendal artery (cut off) Right pointer: Inferior gluteal artery
16 .	Iliococcygeus muscle
17 .	Pubococcygeus muscle
18 .	Puborectalis muscle (16-18 comprise the levator ani muscle)
19 .	Urethra
20 .	Iliolumbar vein (note accompanying artery)
21 .	Obturator nerve
22 .	Psoas major muscle
23 .	Iliac fascia
24 .	Ilium (covered by periosteum)
25 .	Superior gluteal artery and vein
26 .	Obturator artery
27 .	External iliac vein (approaching vascular lacuna deep to inguinal ligament)
28 .	Pectineal ligament
29 .	Pubic symphysis