Treatise on gynæcology : medical and surgical . rably. There is then but one point of attachment where the uterus is atall firmly fixed, namely, that of the posterior ligaments, and, as theyare inserted where the organ is thinnest, evidently its position maybe compared to that of a pyramid balanced upon its point. This par-adoxical condition does not exist in the lower animals but is an anom-aly in the animal kingdom, explained by the upright position of thehuman species. When we consider the extensive changes of volume, form, and con- DISPLACEMENTS OF THE UTERUS. 417 sistency which the uterus
Treatise on gynæcology : medical and surgical . rably. There is then but one point of attachment where the uterus is atall firmly fixed, namely, that of the posterior ligaments, and, as theyare inserted where the organ is thinnest, evidently its position maybe compared to that of a pyramid balanced upon its point. This par-adoxical condition does not exist in the lower animals but is an anom-aly in the animal kingdom, explained by the upright position of thehuman species. When we consider the extensive changes of volume, form, and con- DISPLACEMENTS OF THE UTERUS. 417 sistency which the uterus undergoes at each pregnancy; the alterationsand lesions which may be produced by parturition on the adjacentorgans, ligaments, muscles, and serous membrane; and finally theinfluence which efforts of all sorts may exert on an equilibrium sounstable—we are surprised that uterine displacements are not morefrequent. In the description of displacements I shall treat first of thosewhich are produced in the vertical planes, comprising flexions and. Fig. 207.—Position of the Utercs, with the Bladder Empty. versions, for which I reserve the name deviations, and next of thosewhich follow horizontal planes, , elevation, prolapse, and —The displacements in the vertical planes are com-monly divided into versions or flexions according as the uterus as awhole is involved or only the body flexed on the cervix. Theremay be therefore ante- and retroflexion, ante- and retroversion, andlatero-version and flexion. The latter are rare in the simple form, butthey exist in combination with the others. When the uterus is dis-placed en masse backward or forward, it is called ante- or retro-posi-tion, two words which have only a descriptive value. 27 418 CLINICAL AND OPERATIVE GYNAECOLOGY. Historical Review.—The history of uterine deviations has passedthrough several phases. They were unknown at the time, beforeRecamier, when all uterine maladies without neoplasm we
Size: 1830px × 1366px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubje, booksubjectgynecology
