Anzeige
Erschienen in:
01.12.2014 | Anatomic Variations
Radiological anatomical study of the origin of the uterine artery
Erschienen in: Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy | Ausgabe 10/2014
Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhaltenAbstract
Purpose
To clarify the origin of the uterine artery and quantify its anatomical variants.
Materials and methods
We carried out a study based on dissections, intraoperative findings and retrospective analysis of arteriograms. Thirty female cadavers were dissected and bilaterally observed, with a total of 60 origins visualised. Fifty laparotomies were carried out during the treatment for pelvic neoplasms (100 origins observed) and 34 arteriograms performed for uterine fibroid embolisation were studied (58 origins visualised).
Results
In total, 218 origins of the uterine artery were visualised. The uterine artery originated from a common trunk with the umbilical artery in 80.7 % of cases. It arose separately from the internal iliac artery in 13.16 % of cases and directly from the superior gluteal artery in 3.51 % of cases. It branched from a common trunk with the internal pudendal artery in 1.75 % of cases, whereas arose separately from the obturator artery in 0.88 % of cases.
Conclusion
The uterine artery arose from a common trunk with the umbilical artery in the majority of the Caucasian population. Surgeons and radiologists should be aware of this mode of branching to facilitate surgery and interventional radiology and improve the safety of these procedures.