Pathology of the uterine tubal junction.
First the Author reviews briefly the anatomy and the physiology of the Uterine-Tubal Junction (UTJ) with a main concern for the muscular pattern and the secretory activity of this part of the tube, in relation with the hormonal and nervous control. Speaking about the pathology of the UTJ that can impair fertility, different are the causes: chronic infections and their sequelae, salpingitis isthmica nodosa, polyps, iatrogenic lesions (mainly following sterilization procedures), congenital malformations. Other pathologies might be: ectopic pregnancies - 2.5% of all tubal pregnancies - and neoplasms even if not related to infertility. The therapy in most cases for restoring the continuity and hopefully the function of the tube is surgery through a microsurgical approach.
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology; D005184:Fallopian Tube Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000209:etiology; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology