Uterus

Human anatomy

At the woman, the uterus is a Organe hollow, odd, median, sitting in the Petit basin (or Pelvis). Its form is overall that of a Poire. It is composed of 3 parts: the uterine bottom the uterine body and the uterine collar, separated by the Isthmus, contracting enters the cavity corporéale and the channel endocervical

External morphology

Its dimensions are of 8 cm by 4 cm, flattened of before behind. The body is coarsely triangular. The posterior part of the body receives the establishment of the Fallopian tubes. The collar is a cylinder where the Vagin fits (the part which makes covered is often called muzzle of tench ). The collar has an opening which connects the vaginal cavity to the uterine cavity: the uterine ostium . It is by this opening that the Menstruations run out, and that the Spermatozoïde S. go up.

Internal morphology

The uterine wall is made of a mucous , the Endomètre . This mucous membrane, strongly vascularized and rich in Gland S, varies in thickness during the menstrual Cycle. The transition course is a Smooth muscle called Myomètre (with involuntary order; with the difference of the striated muscles: with conscious order). the most external part, the adventitious one, is covered for the higher part by the peritoneum.

Reports/ratios with the close bodies

The uterus is normally bent ahead (known as antéversé).

In front of him, one finds:

the Bladder and
the Pubis;

behind:

the Rectum;

laterally:

the ovary S;

in top:

the Peritoneum.

The variations of position of the uterus are not rare: it can be aligned with the vaginal cavity, even bent behind (rétroversé uterus). These provisions expose to the prolapse and the Dyspareunie.

Vascularization

The uterine Artère ensures the contributions in nutrient and out of oxygen of the uterus, it comes from the former division of the internal iliaque artery.

1. Fallopian tubes
2. urinary bladder
3. symphyse pubic
4. vésico-pubic ligaments
5. clitorises
6. small lip
7. vaginal hall
8. ovary
9. peritoneum
10. uteruses
11. vaginal cul-de-sac
12. collar
13. rectum
14. anus

Functions

The endometer uterine (i.e. the mucous membrane which papers the interior of the uterine cavity) is sensitive to the Hormone S ovariennes. Thus, the first part of the cycle is devoted to thickening of the uterine mucous membrane for a pregnancy. If there is Fécondation, the egg is established in the endometer to start the pregnancy. Apart from a fecundation, the endometer is eliminated during the menstruations, which mark the beginning of a new cycle (lasted usual 28 days, but very variable from one woman to another). In the case of a pregnancy, the growth of the embryo involves the distension of the uterus. Its size thus will pass from 8 cm length (an orange) to 35 cm. During the childbirth, the contractions of the uteruses, intense and regular, mark the beginning of the work which will lead to the birth, the uterine collar dilates to let pass the child. Then, once the childbirth finished (baby and placenta) the uterine musculature retracts very quickly and the uterus finds its usual dimensions at the end of two months (cf.larousse medical edition 2004 article " utérus")

Means of explorations of the uterus

echography: Is the basic examination of the exploration of the uterus. The diagnosis of the fibromes, cysts of the ovary allows and cancers of the ovary. The cancer of the endometer also profits from echography especially when echography is practiced by way endovaginale (by putting a special probe directly in the vagina. Painless and nonirradiant, it is particularly useful during the pregnancy, to supervise the growth, morphology, the presentation of the baby.
IRM : less available than echography, the IRM gives indications of large quality, useful for a particular form of endométriose, the adénomyose or endomètriose intern and to take stock of extension of gynaecological cancers.
Hysterography: irradiant, more or less painful examination not very according to the women, allowing to study the uterine cavity (less and less used, sometimes still in cancers of the endometer). The hysterography is especially useful to explore the permeability of the horns.
Scanner: irradiating, painless and fast, he studies general pathologies, or in the event of diagnostic uncertainty.
Hystéroscopie diagnoses: consist in introducing a fiberoptic by the cervix and allows to directly see the uterine cavity and the endometer (internal wall of the uterus) for the diagnosis of polyp, fibrome, cancer of the endometer, synéchies, of hyperplasy, even of adénomyose. It is an examination not very painful, reliable, which is carried out with the consulting-room of the gynecologist, without particular preparation.

This examination is regarded in 2006 as the most powerful examination for the diagnosis of pathology endocavitaire. There exist 2 types of apparatus: the flexible ones (fibroscopes) and the rigid ones. To distend the uterine cavity, it is advisable to use either of the physiological salt solution or of CO2.

Diseases of the uterus

Tumor S benign: the Fibrome S are extremely frequent, in particular at the Noires women. They are generally completely asymptomatic, but must sometimes be withdrawn in the event of bleeding persistent.
Cancer S:

the cancer of the cervix is frequent especially at the young woman because of the precocity of the sexual relations. This cancer is indeed a disease potentially transmitted sexually with as Co-factor the papillomavirus of which some are oncogenes.
Cancer of the endometer.

Infection S: Cervicite (infection of the collar), Endométrite (frequent at the young woman)
Endométriose: development of endometer apart from the uterine cavity.

See too

Ecca European Association of prevention against the cancer of the uterus

Simple: Uterus Zh-min-nan: Seⁿ-kiáⁿ-tē

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