Pelvic cavity

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.

Borders

The boundaries are as follows:

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.

Ligaments

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.

Arteries

• internal iliac artery
• median sacral artery
• ovarian artery

Nerves

• sacral plexus
• splanchnic nerves

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.

Notes

References

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

External links

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

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