Broad ligament of the uterus

The broad ligament of the uterus is the wide fold of peritoneum that connects the sides of the uterus to the walls and floor of the pelvis.

Broad ligament of the uterus
Uterus and right broad ligament, seen from behind. (Broad ligament visible at center.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin	ligamentum latum uteri
MeSH	D001956
TA98	A10.1.02.505F
TA2	3800
FMA	16516
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

Structure

Subdivisions

Subcomponent	Mesentery
Mesometrium[1]	Uterus - the largest portion of the broad ligament
Mesosalpinx[1]	Fallopian tubes
Mesovarium[1][2]	Ovaries[2]

Contents

The contents of the broad ligament include the following:^[3]

• Reproductive
  • uterine tubes (or fallopian tube)
  • ovary (some sources consider the ovary to be on the broad ligament, but not in it.)^[4]
• vessels
  • ovarian artery (in the suspensory ligament)^[5]
  • uterine artery (in reality, travels in the cardinal ligament)
• ligaments
  • ovarian ligament
  • round ligament of uterus
  • suspensory ligament of the ovary (Some sources consider it a part of the broad ligament, while other sources just consider it a "termination" of the ligament.^[6])

Relations

The peritoneum surrounds the uterus like a flat sheet that folds over its fundus, covering it anteriorly and posteriorly; on the sides of the uterus, this sheet of peritoneum comes in direct contact with itself, forming the double layer of peritoneum known as the broad ligament of the uterus.

The part where this peritoneal sheet is folded (i.e. the free edge) has the uterine tubes running between the two layers; this part is known as the mesosalpinx.

Function

The broad ligament serves as a mesentery for the uterus, ovaries, and the uterine tubes. It helps in maintaining the uterus in its position, but it is not a major contributing factor.

Clinical significance

Broad ligament hernias are rare. Due to their vague clinical presentation they are difficult to distinguish from other types of internal hernias, which can cause small bowel obstruction.^[7]

Additional images

• 
  Broad ligament of adult, showing epoöphoron

See also

• Cardinal ligament
• Pelvic diaphragm
• Parametrium

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 1259 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

1. Swiss embryology (from UL, UB, and UF) ugenital/diffmorpho05
2. Carretero, A.; Ruberte, J.; Navarro, M. (2017-01-01), Ruberte, Jesús; Carretero, Ana; Navarro, Marc (eds.), "9 - Female genital organs", Morphological Mouse Phenotyping, Academic Press, pp. 227–251, ISBN 978-0-12-812805-3, retrieved 2021-02-03
3. pelvis at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (uterus, broadligament)
4. Kyung Won Chung (2005). Gross Anatomy. Hagerstown, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 273. ISBN 0-7817-5309-0.
5. "Chapter 35: Female genitalia". Archived from the original on 2017-12-06. Retrieved 2007-12-09.
6. Anatomy photo:43:03-0300 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center
7. Ozben, Volkan; Aliyeva, Zumrud; Güler, Ibrahim; Barbur, Erol; Karahasanoglu, Tayfun; Baca, Bilgi (2020-09-01). "Laparoscopic management of incarcerated broad ligament hernia in a patient with bilateral parametrium defects – a video vignette". Colorectal Disease. 22 (9): 1197–1198. doi:10.1111/codi.15039. ISSN 1462-8910. PMID 32180330. S2CID 212739555.

External links

• Anatomy image:9671 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center
• Anatomy image:9783 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center
• Anatomy photo: Reproductive/mammal/femalesys1/femalesys6 - Comparative Organology at University of California, Davis - Mammal, female overview (Gross, Medium)"
• Diagram at med.mun.ca
• figures/chapter_35/35-2.HTM: Basic Human Anatomy at Dartmouth Medical School