title: STRUCTURAL BASIS OF THE VASCULAR HEMOSTATIC MECHANISM IN THE UTERINE CERVIX.
abstract: The objective of the study was to investigate the angioarchitectonics and the functional morphology of the vessels of the cervix and to clarify the role of structural features of these vessels in preventing hemorrhaging in parturition during cervical dilatation. Cervixes uteri were obtained from corpses of 30 women of various ages and 5 ablated at labor. Series of histotopographical specimens of the cervixes were processed using histological and histochemical methods. Peculiar features of the angioarchitectonics, histotopography and structure of cervical vessels were encountered. Arteries penetrating the cervix are surrounded by tight muffs of anastomizing veins that are closely adjacent to the arteries. In other cases, the arteries are located within the lumen of veins--"vessels within vessels". Cervical arteries make up subendocervical convolutions. During pregnancy, smooth muscle "cushions" develop in the vessels. The cervix is pierced by a network of veins that divide the cervical tissue into separate stromal "lobules". This peculiar vascular architecture might be important structural basis of the vascular hemostatic mechanism in the neck of the uterus triggered by labor. It prevents vessel rupture, hemorrhaging and amniotic fluid and air embolism during cervical dilatation. The venous network that passes through the cervix makes it easy for the separate stromal "lobules" of the cervix to move relative to each other during cervical dilatation.
authors.forename: Alexander V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Prokopchook-Lyckbäck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D036801:Parturition / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D055988:Uterine Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D014680:Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology