OBJECTIVE: To observe and verify the key anatomies of DeLancey's three levels of vaginal support theory through laparoscopic surgery by space dissection technique. METHODS: The features and stress performance of related anatomies were observed and analyzed in laparoscopic type C hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy for cervical cancer by natural space exposures. RESULTS: The main ligament-like structure at level Ⅰ was the uterosacral ligament, which acted as the main apical fixation in the sacral direction, while the cardinal ligament was mainly composed of vascular system, lymph-vessels and loose connective tissue around them, lacking the tough connective tissue structures, which was connected to the internal iliac vascular system. There were no strong ligaments connected to the tendinous arch of pelvic fascia (ATFP) at the lateral side of vaginal wall at level Ⅱ. ATFP was the edge of the superior fascia of pelvic diaphragm, which was bounded by the fascia of the obturator. Its surface was smooth and close to the levator ani muscle and fuses with the vaginal fascia in about one thirds of middle lower segments of the vagina. When the ureter tunnel is separated, dense connective structures can be found in both anterior and posterior walls near the intersection of the ureter across uterine artery, fixing the bilateral angle of the bladder triangle, starting from the cervix and vagina and ending in the tunica muscularis vesicae urinariae. CONCLUSIONS Based on the laparoscopic anatomy, the pelvic floor fascia ligament support above the levator ani muscle can be considered mainly around the vagina, and fascial ligament above the levator ani muscle can be simply considered as two parallel planes forming a "double hammock" structure, which may provide more anatomic data for pelvic floor reconstruction.
Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Ligaments ; anatomy & histology ; Pelvic Floor ; Urinary Bladder ; Vagina ; anatomy & histology ; surgery

PURPOSE: It is still unclear whether the longitudinal anal muscles or conjoint longitudinal coats (CLCs) are attached to the vagina, although such an attachment, if present, would appear to make an important contribution to the integrated supportive system of the female pelvic floor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using immunohistochemistry for smooth muscle actin, we examined semiserial frontal sections of 1) eleven female late-stage fetuses at 28-37 weeks of gestation, 2) two female middle-stage fetus (2 specimens at 13 weeks), and, 3) six male fetuses at 12 and 37 weeks as a comparison of the morphology. RESULTS: In late-stage female fetuses, the CLCs consistently (11/11) extended into the subcutaneous tissue along the vaginal vestibule on the anterior side of the external anal sphincter. Lateral to the CLCs, the external anal sphincter also extended anteriorly toward the vaginal side walls. The anterior part of the CLCs originated from the perimysium of the levator ani muscle without any contribution of the rectal longitudinal muscle layer. However, in 2 female middle-stage fetuses, smooth muscles along the vestibulum extended superiorly toward the levetor ani sling. In male fetuses, the CLCs were separated from another subcutaneous smooth muscle along the scrotal raphe (posterior parts of the dartos layer) by fatty tissue. CONCLUSION: In terms of topographical anatomy, the female anterior CLCs are likely to correspond to the lateral extension of the perineal body (a bulky subcutaneous smooth muscle mass present in adult women), supporting the vaginal vestibule by transmission of force from the levator ani.
Anal Canal/*anatomy & histology/embryology ; Female ; Fetus/anatomy & histology ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth/*anatomy & histology/embryology ; Pelvic Floor/anatomy & histology ; Sex Characteristics ; Vagina/*anatomy & histology/embryology

The dimension of the levator hiatus is a possible predictor of pelvic organ prolapse (POP). This retrospective study investigated 360 women who went to urogynecological clinic for pelvic floor discomfort. Levator hiatus dimensions were obtained by three-dimensional transperineal ultrasound and results were compared between women with and without significantly objective prolapse (International Continence Society POP quantification, grade 2 or higher). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to determine valid screening index for detecting abnormal levator hiatus distensibility. Women with significantly objective prolapse had significantly higher levator hiatus dimensions than those without (all P < 0.001). ROC curve analyses confirmed that hiatal area (HA) of 19.5 cm during Valsalva maneuver can be used as single-screening index for abnormal levator hiatus distensibility with sensitivity of 0.80 and specificity of 0.70. In this study, we used a two-step method and achieved higher sensibility (0.80 vs. 0.87) without reducing specificity (0.70 vs. 0.71) compared with a single-screening index method. As a result, we suggest that HA ⩾ 19.5 cm during Valsalva maneuver is an indicator of abnormal levator hiatus distensibility in Chinese women and that the two-step method has higher sensitivity in detecting abnormal distensibility.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Skeletal ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Pelvic Floor ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Pelvic Organ Prolapse ; diagnostic imaging ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

This paper is to establish a three-dimensional finite element model (3D-FEM) of pelvic floor levator ani muscles in an old healthy women. We acquired the image data of the pelvic bones and pelvic floor muscles from CT and MRI scanning in a non-pregnant old healthy female volunteers. The 3-D reconstruction and mesh optimization of the whole pelvic bones and muscles with application of image processing software Mimics12.0 and Geomagic9.0 were obtained. Then we built the 3D-FEM of the musculoskeletal system of the pelvic bones and levator ani muscles with Ansys11.0 software. We obtained an accurate 3D-FEM of pelvic bones and levator ani muscles in the older healthy woman. The results showed that it was reliable to build 3D-FEM with CT and MRI scanning data and this model could vividly reflect the huge space anatomy of the real pelvic floor levator ani muscles. It avoids the defects to gain the model from the body of anatomical specimens in the past. The image data of model are closer to vivisection, and the model is more conducive to the latter finite element analysis.
Female ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Skeletal ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Pelvic Floor ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods