39. Bones, muscles and ligaments of the pelvis. The blood vessels and nerves of the pelvis. The bone tissue. Gastrulation, early differentiation of the intraembryonic mesoderm
Flash Cards:
Bones of Pelvis
Bones of Pelvis 2 - sciatic foramens
Blood Supply of Pelvis
Blood Supply 2
Nerve Supply of Penis
Autonomic Nerves of Pelvis
Anatomy: Bones, muscles and ligaments of the pelvis. The blood vessels and nerves of the pelvis.
Bones & Ligaments of Pelvis
Pelvis bony girdle
2 hip bones = ox coxae, = 3 bones fused together = ilium, ischium, pubis
sacrum
coccyx
Pelvic Diameters of female: important for birthing processes
- Conjugate diameters – b/w symphysis and sacral promontory = 11cm
- Tranverse diameters – mid point of brim on each side = 13cm
- Oblique diameters – iliopubic eminence –> sacroiliac joint = 17.5cm
- To set axis correctly = ASIS +pubic tubercle in vertical line
Structures to show on pelvic girdle:
- Pubic symphyis
- Iliac crest
- Ant sup iliac spine (attachment of inguinal lig, plus part of way to find McBurney’s pt)
- Greater/Lesser sciatic forament
- sacral promontory
- ischio pubic rami
- inf pubic rami
- obturator foramen
- acetabulum
- ischial spine
- ischial tuberosities

Pelvic Girdle
Divided by pelvic brim:
false pelvis above = b/w iliac wings
true pelvis below = b/w pelvic brim and outlet
Pelvic brim = pelvic inlet
Borders:
- post = sacral promontory, massa lata of sacrum
- lat/post =arcuate line of ilum
- lat/ant = iliopubic eminence, then pectinate line
- ant = pubic crest, pubic symphysis
Pelvic Outlet
- ant = inf border of pubic symphysis, arcuate ligament, inf pubic rami (making subpubic angle)
- lat = ischial tuberosities, sacrotuberous ligaments
- closed off by pelvic and urogenital diaphragms
M of wall of true pelvis: *Show these on speciment of dried pelvis:
- piriformis – triangular shaped m, can identify b/c the tendon will go to gr. trochanter of femur, and you will sciatic n emerge below it
- ob internus m – can identify b/c only n. running to obturator foramen on the inside of pelvic cavity, will wrap around and cover the obturator foramen
- pelvic diaphragm = coccygeus + levator ani m – point to muscles that attach to coccyx
- UG diaphragm = deep transverse perineal m, fascia *may not be able to show this*
Differences b/w Male & Female Pelvis
- Bones thinner, smaller, lighter in female
- Inlet heart shaped in male, oval in female – in male, sacral promontory juts into to lesser pelvis
- Outlet larger in female > male
- Pelvic cavity wider/shallower in female
- subpubic angle < 90 degrees in male, and obtuse in female (>90)
- **Good one to tell difference, if asked if pelvis is male or female
- If the subpubic angle is the distance as you making a peace sign with your fingers = male
- if it is the same as the angle b/w you spreading your thumb/forefinger = female
- female sacrum shorter and wider than male
- obturator foramen is oval or triangular in female and round in male
Joints of Pelvis
- Lumbosacral joint – b/w L5-sacrum, held by IV disk and supported by iliolumbar ligaments, iliolumbar a from int iliac a run next to this vertically
- Sacroiliac joint – synovial joint of plane type b/w articular cartilage of sacrum and ilium
- ant/post sacroiliac ligaments
- interossesus ligaments
- transmit weight of body from vertebral column to pelvic girdle
- Sacrococcygeal joint – cartiliagenous joint b/w sacrum & coccyx
- ant, post, lat sacrococygeus lig
- Pubic symphysis – fibrocartiliginous joint b.w pubic bones in medial plane, anteriorally
Major Ligaments of Pelvis — good time to mention what goes thru gr/lsr sciatic foramen
- Sacrospinous – from sacrum –> ischial spine
- Sacrotuberous – from sacrum –> ischial tuberosities
- ant/post sacroiliac ligaments
- ant/post/lat sacrococcygeal lig
- ant longitudial lig – runs down front of vert bodies
- iliolumbar lig
- supraspinous lig

Pelvic ligaments ant view
Greater Sciatic notch is split into 2 sciatic foramen via sacrospinous/ sacrotuberous ligament
Greater Sciatic foramen
- Piriformis
- sup/inf gluteal a/v/n
- sciatic n * show this*
- post femoral cut n
- int pudendal a/v
- pudendal n
NOTE – Piriformis m further separates the greater sciatic foramen into a supra/infrapiriformic hiatus.
The only structures that go thru suprapiriformic hiatus = sup gluteal a/v/n (Supra =superior)
Rest go thru infrapiriformic hiatus, as well as n to ob internus.
CLINICAL NOTE – Because of the emergence of these structures, anasthesia can only be given in the upper R quadrant of the gluteal region, so as not to paralyze any nerves, or harm blood supply
Lesser Sciatic Foramen
- Ob internus
- Int pudendal a/v
- pudendal n
Remember: the pudendal structures come out of the greater sciatic foramen–> then turn around the ischial spine –> back in thru lesser sciatic foramen –> to Alcock’s canal running in the fascia over obturator int m in ischioanal fossa
Blood Supply of Pelvis
A. Int Iliac a – @ bifurcation of common iliac a, in front of sacroiliac joint, crossed in front by ureter @ pelvic brim
Post Division: (3) = Iliolumbar a, Lat Sacral a, Sup Gluteal a
1. Iliolumbar a – sup/lat to iliac fossa, deep to psoas major, runs straight up, next to iliolumbar ligaments
– Iliac br => iliacus m, ilium
–Lumbar br => psoas major, quadratus lumborum
2. Lat sacral a – passes med, in front of sacral plexus, runs immediately to sacrum
– spinal br (goes thru ant sacral formina) => spinal meninges, roots of sacral n, musc/skin overlying the sacrum
3.Sup gluteal a – b/w lumbosacral trunk + 1st sacral n
-leaves pelvis thru gr sciatic foramen above piriformis m
=> m. of buttocks
Ant Division (8) = Inf gluteal a, int pudendal, umbilical a, obturator, inf vesical, med rectal, uterine
1.Inf gluteal a – b/w 1&2 or 3&4 sacral n
leaves pelvis thru gr sciatic foramen, infrapiriformic hiatus
2. Int pudendal a – leaves pelvis thru gr sciatic foramen, b/w piriformis & coccygeis –> perineum via lesser sciatic foramen
3. Umbilical a– v. tortous a, runs along lat pelvic wall & along the side of bladder
a) Prox part –> sup vesicle a => sup bladder
a of ductus deferens => DD, seminal vesicle, lower ureter, bladder
b)Distal part –> becomes obliterated, & goes forward as medial umbilical ligament
4. Obturator a (can also come from inf epigastric a)
pass across femoral canal –> obturator foramen
–ant br => m of thigh
–post br => m of thigh
-acetabular br runs to acetabular notch –> head of femur via lig. capitum femoris
5.Inf vesical a (M, vaginal a in F) => prostate, fundus of bladder, DD, seminal vesicle, lower ureter
6.Vaginal a (F from uretine a/v or int iliac a)
numerous br => ant/post wall of vagina & makes logitudinal anatomosis in med plane to make
ant/post azygos a of vagina
7.Middle rectal a – run med => musc layer of lower rectum & upper anal canal, prostate gland, ureter (seminal vesicles, vagina)
8.Uterine a (Deferential a in M) – from int iliac a or w/ vaginal or middle rectal a
run med in base of broad lig –> jxn of cervix & body of uterus & runs in front of /above ureter & near lat fornix of vagina
-sup br => body + fundus of uterus
-vaginal br => cervix + vagina
B. Median sacral a
unpaired a, arising from post aspect of abdominal aorta just before bifurcation
desc in front of sacrum => post rectum, end in coccygeal body as small vascular mass in front of tip of coccyx
C Sup rectal a – from inf mesenteric a
D. Ovarian a – one of paired visceral branches of ab aorta,
crosses prox end of ext internal a –> minor pelvis + reaches ovary thru suspensory lig of ovary
Nerve Supply to Pelvis
A. Sacral Plexus
formed by L4-5 ventral rami (lumbosacral trunk) + 1st 4 sacral ventral rami, lies on piriformis m in pelvis, below pelvis fascia
1.Sup gluteal n (L4-5) – leaves pelvis thru gr sciatic foramen, suprapiriformic hiatus
=> gluteus medius,minimus, tensor fascia lata
2.Inf gluteal n (L5-S2) – leaves pelvis thru gr. sciatic foramen => glut max m
3.Sciatic n (L4-S3) – largest n in body
a) Tibial n = post leg
b) Common fibular = ant/lat leg
– deep/sup fibular branches
composed of peroneal & tibial parts
leaves pelvis thru gr sciatic foramen, infrapiriformic hiatus
runs thigh in hollow b/w ischial tuberosity & gr. trochanter
4.N to ob internus m (L5-S2)
leaves pelvis thru gr sciatic foramen, infrapiriformic hiatus
perineum thru lesser sciatic foramen
=> ob internus, sup gemellus m
5. N to quadratus femoris (L5-S1)
leaves pelvis thru gr sciatic foramen, infrapiriformic hiatus
runs deep to gemellus m, ob internus, and ends in deep surface of quadratus femoris
=> quadratus femoris & inf gemellus m
6. Post femoral cut n (S1-S3)
leaves pelvis thru gr sciatic foramen, infrapiriformic hiatus
lie w. sciatic n and desc on back of knee
– inf cluneal n, perineal br
7. Pudendal n (S2-S4)
leaves pelvis thru gr sciatic foramen below piriformis –> perineum, thru lesser sciatic foramen => bulbospongiosus, ischiocavernosus, sphincter urethrae, deep/sup transverse perineal m
8. Br to pelvis
- n to piriformis (S1-2)
- n to levator ani + coccygeus m (S3-4)
- n to sphincter ani
- pelvic splanchnic n
*** Lumbosacral trunk connect sacral/lumbar plexus (L4-S4)
Histology: The bone tissue.
Embryology: Gastrulation, early differentiation of the intraembryonic mesoderm
Gastrulation
- makes the 3 defined germ layer of embryo = ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm
- @ day 21 = called trilaminar germ disk
- indicated by primitive streak = epiblast cells
- primtive groove, node, and pit
- primitive node = cephalic end of streak, elevation around the primitive pit
- caudal to primitive streak – future anus = cloacal membrane – epiblast/hypoblast fused here
- epiblast = ectoderm + intraembryonic mesoderm + endoderm of trilaminar disk
- @ wk 2 – intraembryonic mesoderm begins to form organs
- @ wk 3 – extraembryonic mesoderm begins to form placenta
Differentiation to Intraembryonic Mesoderm
1. Paraxial mesoderm – right next to midline, become somites
- first 7 = pharyngeal arches
- 42-44 pairs of somites from rest of them –> eventually condense to 35 pairs
- each somite has 3 parts: sclerotome, myotome, dermatome
- sclerotome = bones, ligaments
- myotome = muscle
- dermatome = skin
2. Intermediate Mesoderm – b/w paraxial and lateral mesoderm
- forms urogenital ridge –> kidney & gonads
3. Lateral Mesoderm
- intraembryonic coelem forms – splits lat mesoderm into 2 layers
- somatic
- visceral
4. Notochord – mesoderm in midline from primitive node –> prechordal plate
- stimulates ectoderm on top –> neuroectoderm –> neural plate
- stimulates formation of vertebral bodies & nucleus palposus
5. Cardiogenic region
- horseshoe shaped region of mesoderm @ cranial end of embryonic disk
- is the future heart