Broad ligament
Updates to Article Attributes
Body
was changed:
The broad ligament is the lateral folds of the parietal peritoneum which reflect over the upper genital tract.
Gross anatomy
The broad ligament extends from the lateral aspect of the uterus to the lateral pelvic wall and can be divided into three main components - the mesosalpinx, mesovarium and mesometrium.
Attachments
- mesosalpinx
- superiorly: uterine tube
- superolaterally: suspensory ligament of the ovary
- posteroinferiorly: mesovarium
- medially: ovarian ligament
- mesometrium: drape-like largest portion of the broad ligament
- extends from the pelvic floor to the uterine body and ovarian ligament
Contents
The contents of the broad ligament include:
- adnexa
- blood vessels
- ligaments
- ovarian ligament
- suspensory ligament of the ovary
- round ligament of the uterus
- other
- vestigial remnants of the mesonephric tubules
A useful mnemonic to remember the contents can be found here.
Variant anatomy
- congenital absence of the broad ligament
Related pathology
- internal herniation
- common site for endometriomas
- benign tumours: usually lipoleiomyomas which are a variant of uterine leiomyomas
- malignant tumours (rare): leiomyosarcomas
-<li>superolaterally: suspensory ligament of the ovary</li>- +<li>superolaterally: <a title="suspensory ligament of the ovary" href="/articles/suspensory-ligament-of-the-ovary">suspensory ligament of the ovary</a>
- +</li>
-<li>medially: ovarian ligament</li>- +<li>medially: <a title="ovarian ligament" href="/articles/ovarian-ligament">ovarian ligament</a>
- +</li>
-<li>round ligament of the uterus</li>- +<li><a title="round ligament of the uterus" href="/articles/round-ligament-of-the-uterus">round ligament of the uterus</a></li>
-<li>malignant tumours (rare): <a title="leiomyosarcomas" href="/articles/leiomyosarcomas">leiomyosarcomas </a>- +<li>malignant tumours (rare): <a href="/articles/leiomyosarcomas">leiomyosarcomas </a>
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