Pelvic cavity
Latin	cavitas pelvis
Lymph	primarily internal iliac lymph nodes

The pelvic cavity is a body cavity that is bounded by the bones of the pelvis and which primarily contains reproductive organs, the urinary bladder, and the rectum. The pelvis is a marvel of physiology and is deceptively complex. It contains the lower urinary tract, reproductive system, lower digestive tract, major arteries and veins, muscle systems, nerve systems and bone systems. They all have to work together in a little crowded "house". It can be affected by many different diseases and by many drugs in many different ways. One part may impact upon another, for example constipation may overload the rectum and compress the urinary bladder, or childbirth might damage the pudendal nerves and later lead to anal weakness.

Contents 1 Borders 2 Greater and lesser pelvis 3 Ligaments 4 Measurements 5 Arteries 6 Nerves 7 Additional images 8 Notes 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Borders

The boundaries are as follows:

	roof: pelvic brim[1]
posterior: sacrum, coccyx	lateral: obturator internus	anterior: pubic symphysis
	floor: pelvic floor

[edit] Greater and lesser pelvis

The lesser pelvis (or "true" pelvis" only includes structures inferior to the pelvic brim.

For example, the pelvic splanchnic nerves arising at S2-S4 is in the true pelvis, but the femoral nerve from L2-L4 is only in the "false pelvis", or greater pelvis.

[edit] Ligaments

Ligament	From	To
broad ligament of the uterus
* mesovarium	ovary
* mesosalpinx	Fallopian tube
* mesometrium
cardinal ligament
ovarian ligament	ovary	uterus
round ligament of the uterus
suspensory ligament of the ovary

[edit] Measurements

The pelvis can be classified into four main types by measuring the pelvic diameters and conjugates at the pelvic inlet and outlet and as oblique diameters.

Pelvic measurements^[2]

Measurement	From	To	Length
Transverse diameter (of inlet)	Between extreme lateral points of pelvic inlet		13.5-14 cm
Oblique diameter I	Right sacroiliac joint	Left iliopubic eminence	12-12.5 cm
Oblique diameter II	Left sacroiliac joint	Right iliopubic eminence	11.5-12 cm
Anatomical conjugate	Pubic symphysis	Promontory	~12 cm
True conjugate (obsteric conjugate)	Retropubic eminence (posterior surface of symphysis)	Promontory	11.5 cm
Diagonal conjugate*	Inferior pubic ligament	Promontory	13 cm
Straight conjugate	Lower border of symphysis	Tip of coccyx	9.5-10 cm
Median conjugate	Lower border of symphysis	Lower border of sacrum	11.5 cm
Transverse diameter (of outlet)	Between ischial tuberosities		10-11 cm
Interspinous distance	Between anterior superior iliac spines		26 cm (female)
Intercristal distance	Between furthest lateral points of iliac crest		29 cm (female)
External conjugate	Spinous process of fifth lumbar vertebra	Upper edge of symphysis	~20 cm
Intertrochanteric distance	Between femurs		31 cm
*Because the true conjugate can not be measured directly it is derived from the diagonal conjugate which is measured through the vagina.

[edit] Arteries

• internal iliac artery
• median sacral artery
• ovarian artery

[edit] Nerves

• sacral plexus
• splanchnic nerves

[edit] Additional images

	Articulations of pelvis. Anterior view.	The arteries of the pelvis.	Dissection of side wall of pelvis showing sacral and pudendal plexuses.
Sacral plexus of the right side.

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Platzer, Werner (2004). Color Atlas of Human Anatomy, Vol. 1: Locomotor System (5th ed.). Thieme. ISBN 3-13-533305-1. 

[edit] External links

• Overview at buffalo.edu
• Diagram at southwest.tn.edu
• Photo of model (female)

This anatomy article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

v • d • e Bones of pelvis / pelvic cavity (TA A02.5.01-03, GA 2.231-241) General sacrum · coccyx · hip bone Ilium body arcuate line wing gluteal lines (posterior, anterior, inferior) iliac spines (anterior superior, anterior inferior, posterior superior, posterior inferior) other: crest · tuberosity · fossa Ischium body ischial spine · lesser sciatic notch superior ramus tuberosity of the ischium inferior ramus no substructures Pubis body pubic crest superior ramus pubic tubercle · obturator crest inferior ramus pectineal line Compound acetabulum (acetabular notch) · iliopubic eminence / iliopectineal line · linea terminalis · ischiopubic ramus / pubic arch obturator foramen · greater sciatic foramen / greater sciatic notch · lesser sciatic foramen lesser pelvis (pelvic inlet, pelvic brim, pelvic outlet) · greater pelvis

v • d • e Abdominopelvic cavity (TA A10, GA 4.408) Abdomen/ Abdominal cavity General Peritoneal cavity · Paracolic gutters · Paramesenteric gutters · Cystohepatic triangle · Abdominal wall (Inguinal triangle) Posterior Extraperitoneal space (Retroperitoneum) Pelvis/ Pelvic cavity Extraperitoneal space (Retropubic space)