PROCEDURE

You are expected to understand the pelvic anatomy of both sexes.

At several points in the dissection instructions you will be instructed to swap with a nearby table to repeat male or female examination steps so that you have the opportunity to examine both sexes in detail.  You can look back and forth with the table more often as the groups prefer.

Take a moment to review the laboratory map which indicates the nearby table with which to swap to view a donor of the opposite sex.
    --------> click here for (Laboratory Swap Map). 

There may not be an 1:1 ratio of male to female in your quadrant (i.e. some quadrants have nine tables), thus some tables will swap over to another quadrant or need to coordinate with a second group at one table.

The instruction set for male or female will be longer or shorter at points during examination. So if your identified swap table isn't ready, be patient and don't overly pressure them, the converse timing mismatch will happen to your table at some point.

You might find it useful to perform review study until the other table is ready for a swap.

1) PRE-WORK (before lab) review the organization of the human pelvis from your atlas or on an articulated skeleton in the lab.
    (Figure401) (Netter334) (Netter337)

Bony pelvis - Identify the major bones of the pelvis, the ilium, ischium, and pubis. The left and right pubic bones come together at the midline forming the fibrocartilaginous joint of the pubic symphysis.

Sacrum - Observe how sharply posterior the sacrum is relative to the lumbar vertebra, and that the most anterosuperior ridge forms the sacral promontory.

Pelvic inlet (brim) - The pelvic inlet is an imaginary planar line/sheet between the sacral promontory and the upper margin of the pubic symphysis. Laterally, the line passes along the inferior edge of the iliac fossa. 

Coccyx - At the base of the sacrum is the small bony coccyx, typically angled sharply anteriorly and formed by multiple bony segments.

2) PRE-WORK (before lab) review the general organizational relationships of the pelvis.
    (Figure454)

Abdominal cavity - Superiorly the pelvic cavity is continuous with the abdominal cavity. The region inferior to an arbitrary line spanning the ala of the pelvis is called the greater (or false) pelvis. The region inferior to an arbitrary line spanning the pelvic inlet is called the lesser (or true) pelvis.

Gluteal region - Posterior to the bony pelvis is the gluteal region, containing nerves, vessels and gluteal muscles.

Hip region - Lateral to the bony pelvis is the hip, where the femur articulates with the pelvis.

Abdominal wall - Anteriorly, the pelvis is bounded by the anterior abdominal wall, with the pubic tubercle, inguinal ligament, and anterior superior iliac spine serving as the inferior anchoring points for the anterior abdominal wall musculature.

Pelvic diaphragm - The 'floor' of the pelvis is formed by the muscular sling of the pelvic diaphragm. This closes off the open inferior end of the bony pelvis and supports all the pelvic organs. Several openings (foramen) are formed to allow nerves and vessels to exit to the gluteus and lower extremities

Perineum - Inferior to the pelvic diaphragm, in the triangle formed by the pubic symphysis to the ischial tuberosities (i.e. the inferior pubic rami), is the urogenital triangle of the perineum. The external genitalia of both sexes anchors to a perineal musculofascial 'sheet' spanning this triangular bony arrangement. Posterior to the urogenital triangle is the anal triangle (ischial tuberosities to coccyx) surrounding the anus.

Select the male or female instruction set from the link below depending on the sex of your donor.

 MALE                            FEMALE
Instructions                      instructions

This checklist covers both the male and female sections.

CHECKLIST

Skeletal Structures

Pelvic bone
    Ilium
    Ischium
    Pubis
    Pelvic inlet
    Pubic symphysis

Sacrum
    Sacral foramen

Coccyx

Soft Structures (female)

Urinary bladder
    Ureter

 Peritoneum
    Rectouterine fossa (Pouch of Douglas)
    Broad ligament of the uterus
        Mesosalpinx
        Mesovarium
        Mesometrium
    Suspensory ligament of the ovary
    Proper ligament of the ovary
    Round ligament of the uterus

Uterus
    Uterine tubes
        Infundibulum
        Fimbriae
    Round ligament of the uterus

Ovaries

Soft Structures (male)

Ductus deferens

Prostate

Peritoneum
    Rectovesical fossa

Spermatic cord

Testes

Testicular artery