Cardinal ligament

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Cardinal ligament
Latin ligamentum cardinale, ligamentum transversum cervicis, ligamentum transversalis colli
Gray's subject #268 1261
Dorlands/Elsevier l_09/13541169

The cardinal ligament (or lateral cervical ligament, or transverse cervical ligament[1]) is a major ligament of the uterus. It is located at the base of the broad ligament of the uterus (though it is not usually considered one of the three traditional divisions of that ligament). Importantly, it contains the uterine artery and uterine vein.

It is attached to the side of the cervix uteri and to the vault and lateral fornix of the vagina, and is continuous externally with the fibrous tissue which surrounds the pelvic blood vessels.

It is also known as "Mackenrodt's ligament".[2]

It may be of clinical significance in hysterectomy.[3][4]

It provides support to the uterus.[5]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Anatomy Labs #12 & 13
  2. ^ Netter, Frank H. (2003). Atlas of Human Anatomy, Professional Edition. Philadelphia: Saunders, 370. ISBN 1-4160-3699-7. 
  3. ^ Kato T, Murakami G, Yabuki Y (2002). "Does the cardinal ligament of the uterus contain a nerve that should be preserved in radical hysterectomy?". Anat Sci Int 77 (3): 161–8. doi:10.1046/j.0022-7722.2002.00023.x. PMID 12422408. 
  4. ^ Kato T, Murakami G, Yabuki Y (2003). "A new perspective on nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy: nerve topography and over-preservation of the cardinal ligament.". Jpn J Clin Oncol 33 (11): 589–91. doi:10.1093/jjco/hyg107. PMID 14711985. 
  5. ^ Kyung Won, PhD. Chung (2005). Gross Anatomy (Board Review). Hagerstwon, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 274. ISBN 0-7817-5309-0. 

[edit] External links

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.