Broad ligament
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Kang O, Bell D, Iqbal S, et al. Broad ligament. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 25 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-49680
Permalink:
rID:
49680
Article created:
30 Nov 2016,
Owen Kang
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Owen Kang had no recorded disclosures.
View Owen Kang's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.
View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures
Revisions:
13 times, by
9 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Broad ligaments
- Ligamentum latum uteri
- Plica lata uteri
The broad ligaments (TA: ligamentum latum uteri or plica lata uteri 4) are the paired lateral folds of the parietal peritoneum which reflect over the upper genital tract in females.
On this page:
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. The broad ligament is usually considered to form part of the adnexa.
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 fraction of ureters 3
A useful mnemonic to remember the contents can be found here.
Variant anatomy
- congenital absence of the broad ligament
Related pathology
- broad ligament hernia
- common site for endometriomas
- benign tumors: usually lipoleiomyomas which are a variant of uterine leiomyomas
- malignant tumors (rare): leiomyosarcomas
References
- 1. Sinnatamby CS. Last's Anatomy, Regional and Applied. Churchill Livingstone. (2011) ISBN:0702033952. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Morgan E. Craig, Megan Billow. Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Broad Ligaments. (2018) Pubmed
- 3. Heller DS. Lesions of the Broad Ligament: A Review. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2015 Nov-Dec;22(7)"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmig.2015.06.019">doi:10.1016/j.jmig.2015.06.019
- 4. FIPAT. Terminologia Anatomica. 2nd Ed. FIPAT.library.dal.ca. Federative International Programme for Anatomical Terminology, 2019. https://fipat.library.dal.ca/TA2/
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Pampiniform plexus
- Uterine artery
- Adnexa (female pelvis)
- Uterine venous plexus
- Cervix
- Broad ligament hernia
- Inguinal hernia
- Acute non-traumatic abdominal pain in pregnancy
- Broad ligament contents (mnemonic)
- Broad ligament leiomyoma
- Fallopian tube
- Paraovarian cyst
- Ovary
- Round ligament of the uterus
- Gynaecology curriculum
- Endometrioma
- Parametrium
- Pelvic peritoneal space
- Adnexa (disambiguation)
- Uterus
Cases:
Multiple choice questions:
Related articles: Anatomy: Abdominopelvic
- skeleton of the abdomen and pelvis
- muscles of the abdomen and pelvis
- spaces of the abdomen and pelvis
- anterior abdominal wall
- posterior abdominal wall
- abdominal cavity
- pelvic cavity
- perineum
- abdominal and pelvic viscera
- gastrointestinal tract
- spleen
- hepatobiliary system
-
endocrine system
-
adrenal gland
- adrenal vessels
- chromaffin cells
- variants
- pancreas
- organs of Zuckerkandl
-
adrenal gland
-
urinary system
-
kidney
- renal pelvis
- renal sinus
- avascular plane of Brodel
-
variants
- number
- fusion
- location
- shape
- ureter
- urinary bladder
- urethra
- embryology
-
kidney
- male reproductive system
-
female reproductive system
- vulva
- vagina
- uterus
- adnexa
- Fallopian tubes
- ovaries
- broad ligament (mnemonic)
- variant anatomy
- embryology
- blood supply of the abdomen and pelvis
- arteries
-
abdominal aorta
- inferior phrenic artery
- celiac artery
- superior mesenteric artery
- middle suprarenal artery
- renal artery (variant anatomy)
- gonadal artery (ovarian artery | testicular artery)
- inferior mesenteric artery
- lumbar arteries
- median sacral artery
-
common iliac artery
- external iliac artery
-
internal iliac artery (mnemonic)
- anterior division
- umbilical artery
- superior vesical artery
- obturator artery
- vaginal artery
- inferior vesical artery
- uterine artery
- middle rectal artery
-
internal pudendal artery
- inferior rectal artery
-
perineal artery
- posterior scrotal artery
- transverse perineal artery
- artery to the bulb
- deep artery of the penis/clitoris
- dorsal artery of the penis/clitoris
- inferior gluteal artery
- posterior division (mnemonic)
- variant anatomy
- anterior division
-
abdominal aorta
- portal venous system
- veins
- anastomoses
- arterioarterial anastomoses
- portal-systemic venous collateral pathways
- watershed areas
- arteries
- lymphatics
- innervation of the abdomen and pelvis
- thoracic splanchnic nerves
- lumbar plexus
-
sacral plexus
- lumbosacral trunk
- sciatic nerve
- superior gluteal nerve
- inferior gluteal nerve
- nerve to piriformis
- perforating cutaneous nerve
- posterior femoral cutaneous nerve
- parasympathetic pelvic splanchnic nerves
- pudendal nerve
- nerve to quadratus femoris and inferior gemellus muscles
- nerve to internal obturator and superior gemellus muscles
- autonomic ganglia and plexuses
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