| Uterine appendages | |
|---|---|
 Schematic frontal view of female anatomy | |
 Uterus and right broad ligament, seen from behind. (In this orientation, the contents "in front" of the broad ligament are posterior to it.) | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | adnexa uteri |
| MeSH | D000290 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
The uterine appendages (or adnexa of uterus) are the structures most closely related structurally and functionally to the uterus.
They can be defined in slightly different ways:
The term "adnexitis" is sometimes used to describe an inflammation of the uterine appendages (adnexa). [5] In this context, it replaces the terms oophoritis and salpingitis.
The term adnexal mass is sometimes used when the location of a uterine mass is not yet more precisely known.
63% of ectopic pregnancies present with an adnexal mass. Depending on the size of the mass, it could be a medical emergency.
The term "adnexectomy" in gynaecology is often used for salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of both: fallopian tubes and ovaries).
The endometrium is the inner epithelial layer, along with its mucous membrane, of the mammalian uterus. It has a basal layer and a functional layer: the basal layer contains stem cells which regenerate the functional layer. The functional layer thickens and then is shed during menstruation in humans and some other mammals, including apes, Old World monkeys, some species of bat, the elephant shrew and the Cairo spiny mouse. In most other mammals, the endometrium is reabsorbed in the estrous cycle. During pregnancy, the glands and blood vessels in the endometrium further increase in size and number. Vascular spaces fuse and become interconnected, forming the placenta, which supplies oxygen and nutrition to the embryo and fetus. The speculated presence of an endometrial microbiota has been argued against.
The ovary is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova. When an ovum is released, this travels through the fallopian tube into the uterus. There is an ovary found on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries also secrete hormones that play a role in the menstrual cycle and fertility. The ovary progresses through many stages beginning in the prenatal period through menopause. It is also an endocrine gland because of the various hormones that it secretes.
The uterus or womb is the organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans, that accommodates the embryonic and fetal development of one or more embryos until birth. The uterus is a hormone-responsive sex organ that contains glands in its lining that secrete uterine milk for embryonic nourishment.
Ectopic pregnancy is a complication of pregnancy in which the embryo attaches outside the uterus. Signs and symptoms classically include abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding, but fewer than 50 percent of affected women have both of these symptoms. The pain may be described as sharp, dull, or crampy. Pain may also spread to the shoulder if bleeding into the abdomen has occurred. Severe bleeding may result in a fast heart rate, fainting, or shock. With very rare exceptions, the fetus is unable to survive.
The female reproductive system is made up of the internal and external sex organs that function in the reproduction of new offspring. The human female reproductive system is immature at birth and develops to maturity at puberty to be able to produce gametes, and to carry a fetus to full term. The internal sex organs are the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The female reproductive tract includes the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes and is prone to infections. The vagina allows for sexual intercourse and childbirth, and is connected to the uterus at the cervix. The uterus or womb accommodates the embryo which develops into the fetus. The uterus also produces secretions which help the transit of sperm to the fallopian tubes, where sperm fertilize ova produced by the ovaries. The external sex organs are also known as the genitals and these are the organs of the vulva including the labia, clitoris, and vaginal opening.
Gynecologic ultrasonography or gynecologic sonography refers to the application of medical ultrasonography to the female pelvic organs as well as the bladder, the adnexa, and the recto-uterine pouch. The procedure may lead to other medically relevant findings in the pelvis.This technique is useful to detect myomas or mullerian malformations.
A retroverted uterus is a uterus that is oriented posteriorly, towards the rectum in the back of the body. This is in contrast to the typical uterus, which is oriented forward toward the bladder, with the anterior part slightly concave. Depending on the source, one in three to five uteruses is retroverted, or oriented backwards towards the spine. Generally, a retroverted uterus does not cause any problems, nor does it interfere with pregnancy or fertility. Most people with retroverted uteruses will not know they have the condition.
In anatomy, adnexa (plural) refers to the appendages of an organ. The term adnexa is from the Latin word adnexa (appendages).
The round ligament of the uterus is a ligament that connects the uterus to the labia majora. It originates at the junction of the uterus and uterine tube. It passes through the inguinal canal to insert at the labium majus.
The ovarian artery is an artery that supplies oxygenated blood to the ovary in females. It arises from the abdominal aorta below the renal artery. It can be found within the suspensory ligament of the ovary, anterior to the ovarian vein and ureter.
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.
The suspensory ligament of the ovary, also infundibulopelvic ligament, is a fold of peritoneum that extends out from the ovary to the wall of the pelvis.
The ovarian ligament is a fibrous ligament that connects the ovary to the lateral surface of the uterus.
The uterine horns are the points in the upper uterus where the fallopian tubes or oviducts exit to meet the ovaries. They are one of the points of attachment for the round ligament of uterus. They also provide attachment to the ovarian ligament, which is located below the fallopian tube at the back, while the round ligament of uterus is located below the tube at the front.
Tubal reversal, also called tubal sterilization reversal, tubal ligation reversal, or microsurgical tubal reanastomosis, is a surgical procedure that can restore fertility to women after a tubal ligation. By rejoining the separated segments of the fallopian tube, tubal reversal can give women the chance to become pregnant again. In some cases, however, the separated segments cannot actually be reattached to each other. In some cases the remaining segment of tube needs to be re-implanted into the uterus. In other cases, when the end of the tube has been removed, a procedure called a neofimbrioplasty must be performed to recreate a functional end of the tube which can then act like the missing fimbria and retrieve the egg that has been released during ovulation.
The development of the reproductive system is the part of embryonic growth that results in the sex organs and contributes to sexual differentiation. Due to its large overlap with development of the urinary system, the two systems are typically described together as the genitourinary system.
An adnexal mass is a lump in the tissue of the adnexa of the uterus. Adnexal masses can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous), and they can be categorized as simple or complex.
Ovarian torsion (OT) or adnexal torsion is an abnormal condition where an ovary twists on its attachment to other structures, such that blood flow is decreased. Symptoms typically include pelvic pain on one side. While classically the pain is sudden in onset, this is not always the case. Other symptoms may include nausea. Complications may include infection, bleeding, or infertility.
The fallopian tubes, also known as uterine tubes, oviducts or salpinges, are paired tubes in the human female body that stretch from the uterus to the ovaries. The fallopian tubes are part of the female reproductive system. In other mammals, they are only called oviducts.
Paraovarian cysts or paratubal cysts are epithelium-lined fluid-filled cysts in the adnexa adjacent to the fallopian tube and ovary. The terms are used interchangeably, and depend on the location of the cyst.
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