Reproductive system · Pelvis · Female
Ovarian ligament !
The ovarian ligament is a short cord that ties each ovary to the side of the uterus, just below the uterine tube.
Official name: Proper ovarian ligament
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What it is
A short cord from the ovary to the uterus, just below the tube.
What it does
Ties the ovary to the uterus; it is cut when the ovary is kept and the uterus removed.
Key facts
- Attaches
- Uterine pole of the ovary to the uterine cornu, below and behind the tube
- Function
- Anchors the ovary to the uterus; upper remnant of the gubernaculum
Relations
- Course
- From the lower (uterine) pole of the ovary medially, within the broad ligament, to the lateral angle of the uterus below the tube
- Above
- Isthmus of uterine tube and the mesosalpinx
- In front
- Round ligament of uterus, attached just in front of it at the uterine corner
- Behind
- Posterior layer of the broad ligament and, beyond it, the rectouterine pouch
How to find it
Seen at laparoscopy by lifting the ovary: a short, firm cord runs from its lower pole to the uterine corner, below and behind the tube.
On imaging
Can be seen on MRI as a thin band from the lower pole of the ovary to the uterine corner; tracing it helps show that an adnexal mass belongs to the ovary. On ultrasound the ovary is found instead by its landmarks, the uterus and the internal iliac vessels. In adnexal torsion the twisted pedicle includes this ligament with the ovarian vessels, giving the whirlpool sign.
Common problems
- Weakened supports allow prolapse.
- Endometriosis often grows on the uterosacral ligaments.
How it is diagnosed
Examination and ultrasound; seen directly in laparoscopy.
Treatment
- They are divided step by step in a hysterectomy.
Clinical notes
- Clamped and divided at hysterectomy with ovarian conservation; its stump carries branches of the uterine artery and is tied securely
- A long ovarian ligament lets the adnexa move more freely and is thought to favour ovarian torsion, especially in children
Development
It and the round ligament of uterus form from the gubernaculum, which in the female attaches to the uterus, so the ovary stays in the pelvis; in the male the gubernaculum guides the testis down into the scrotum.
Related conditions
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
Where do the ovarian ligament and the round ligament attach at the uterine corner?
The ovarian ligament just below and behind the uterine tube; the round ligament just below and in front.
In hysterectomy, which structure is divided if the ovaries are kept, and which if they are removed?
Kept: the ovarian ligament and the tube at the uterine corner. Removed: the suspensory ligament of ovary.
Why may a long ovarian ligament favour ovarian torsion?
It lets the adnexa move more freely, especially in children.
Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.
Its names
- Official Latin (TA2)
- ligamentum proprium ovarii TA2 3834
- Official Spanish (DeCS)
- Ligamento propio del ovario
- English (TA2)
- Proper ovarian ligament
- Also called
- ligament of ovary · round ligament of the ovary · chorda uteroovarica
Related
Sources: Terminologia Anatomica (TA2); Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Ovary.
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.
