title: Corona mortis: anatomical data and clinical considerations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Minimally invasive procedures, such as the TVT-Secur™, have been linked to injury to the corona mortis. Injury during the insertion of the TVT-Secur™ happens due to the vessel's position close to the place of the margin (25-30 mm from the symphysis pubis).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Systematic description of the aberrant vessel anatomy so as to help gynaecologists determine the risk of peri- and postoperative complications during the TVT-Secur™ and related procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cadaver study, the lesser pelvis of ten female cadavers with venous or arterial coronae mortis was dissected. The origin, diameter and course of the aberrant vessels, as well as the distance from the symphysis pubis, were documented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Arterial coronae mortis were found in eight hemipelvises. All vessels originated from the ipsilateral inferior epigastric artery and all crossed over the superior pubic rami. Average distance from the symphysis pubis was 52.4 mm. Average vessel diameter was 3 mm. Venous coronae mortis were identified in ten hemipelvises. Eight drained into the external iliac and four into the inferior epigastric artery. Nine vessels crossed over the superior pubic rami. Average distance from the symphysis pubis was 46.7 mm. Average vessel diameter was 3.13 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although individual variation makes direct contact with the vessel possible, in most cases there is a window of eight millimetres at least between the margin of the TVT-Secur™ and most aberrant veins. Possible aberrant arteries seem to lie even further.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Descriptive Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece. alceste_delce@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Alcestis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stavropoulou-Deli
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anagnostopoulou
mesh_terms: D019074:Epigastric Arteries / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000293:injuries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011631:Pubic Symphysis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply*; D013526:Surgical Mesh