[Support and suspension of the pelvic viscera in women. Functional and surgical anatomy].

This work is an attempt to settle the semantics of the pelvic connective tissues based on the international nomenclature (Nomina Anatomica) on the one hand on the other following a study of the macroscopic anatomy together with the microscopic appearances and a functional study together with a radiological study which includes in particular tomodensitometry. The Pelvic viscera are held in position by visceral fasciae which are continuous with the parietal pelvic fascia and the retro peritoneal connective tissue. This connective tissue, which is moderately loose, is arranged around the blood vessels as visceral ligaments. These are more obvious when traction is exerted during surgical operations and it resembles the way strands of a net come together when they are being stretched. It is essential to ligate and cut these ligaments if the viscera are to be freed. The surfaces which join the viscera together (the septum and the retro-pubic and retro-rectal spaces) are very important and from the biomechanical point of view resemble bonds that are stuck together. In fact, their resistance has the effect of interlocking neighbouring surfaces, and so effects a better distribution of pressures that are exerted and of their absorption. The changes that take place at rest and at movement of the pelvic organs during the menopause and during pregnancy and the puerperium have been studied. The role of episiotomy in particular as a step towards preventing urinary incontinence is emphasized. In fact, it lessens the pull on the external fibres of the sphincter muscle of the urethra which are bound up with the tissues of the vaginal wall. We have found in 140 women who have been operated on for stress incontinence that 62% had a tear or an episiotomy that was carried out late and that was insufficiently large; 13.9% had a tear: and 11.4%, on the other hand, had an episiotomy without a tear. On the other hand, in another group of similar women over the age of 45 who had had an episiotomy, 16.17% had stress incontinence.