broad ligament
Uterus and
right broad ligament, seen from behind. The broad ligament has been spread out and the ovary drawn downward.
Broad
ligament • Uterine ligaments (Gray's illustration) - Ganzer Fall bei Radiopaedia
The broad ligament is the lateral folds of the parietal peritoneum which reflect over the upper genital tract in females.
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
- broad ligament hernia
- common site for endometriomas
- benign tumors: usually lipoleiomyomas which are a variant of uterine leiomyomas
- malignant tumors (rare): leiomyosarcomas
Siehe auch:
Assoziationen und Differentialdiagnosen zu Ligamentum latum uteri: