Topography and subdivision of the pelvic connective tissue in human fetuses and in the adult.

We investigated epoxy resin impregnated sections through the pelves of 9 to 37-week-old fetuses, of newborn infants, and of adults to study the topography and subdivision of the pelvic connective tissue. Fetal and adult preparations show that the pelvic connective tissue can be subdivided into a presacral, a perirectal and a paravisceral compartment. Whereas the presacral and the perirectal compartment contain connective tissue, adipose tissue and supplying structures, the paravisceral compartment is mainly composed of adipose tissue. While only a very thin rectal fascia was found at the border of the perirectal compartment, no further visceral pelvic fascia can be seen in the impregnated sections. Moreover it is shown that the ligaments of the pelvic cavity are only composed of the sacrouterine ligaments and the pubovesical ligaments in the female and the puboprostatic ligaments in the male. Our data show that sectional anatomy provides new insights into the organization of the pelvic connective tissue, that may be of clinical importance.