A Study Of The Distribution Of Sympathetic Fibers In Supporting Ligaments Around The Cervix Uteri

Objective To observe the distribution of sympathetic fibers in supporting ligaments around the cervix uteri.Methods Immunohistochemical analysis of different positions of paraffin sections of cardinal ligaments, uterosacral ligaments and vesicouterine ligaments surgical margins was performed to observe the distribution of sympathetic fibers by using an antibody against tyrosine hydroxylase(TH), a specific marker of sympathetic fibers..Results (1) The mean length of cardinal ligaments was 5.0cm, there were no TH-positive fibers located in the ligaments at a distance of 4.5cm, 4.0cm, 3.5cm, 3.0cm, 2.5cm and 2.0cm from cervix uteri. The TH-positive fibers were in the middle of the ligaments at a distance of 1.5cm from cervix uteri, in the caudal side of the ligaments at 1.0cm and 0.5cm. (2) The mean length of uterosacral ligaments was 6.5cm, The TH-positive fibers located in the medial and cephalic part of the ligaments at a distance of 6.0cm and 5.5cm from cervix uteri, in the middle and inferior part of the ligaments at 5.5cm, 4.5cm, 4.0cm, 3.5cm, 3.0cm, 2.5cm and 2.0cm, in the caudal and lateral side of the ligaments at 1.5cm, 1.0cm and 0.5cm. (3) The mean length of vesicouterine ligaments was 2.3cm, The TH-positive fibers located in the medial side of the vesical veins in deep layer of the vesicouterine ligaments at a distance of 2.0cm, 1.5cm, 1.0cm and 0.5cm from cervix uteri.Conclutions Sympathetic fibers distributed in the middle inferior and ventral part of cardinal ligaments near cervix uteri, went forward, laterally and downward from pelvic wall to cervix uteri in uterosacral ligaments and located in the medial side of the vesical veins in deep layer of the vesicouterine ligaments.