Inferior hypogastric plexus

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Nerve: Inferior hypogastric plexus
The right sympathetic chain and its connections with the thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic plexuses. (Pelvic plexus labeled at bottom right.)
Lower half of right sympathetic cord. (Hypogastric plexus labeled at bottom right.)
Latin	plexus hypogastricus inferior
Dorlands / Elsevier	p_24/12647962

The inferior hypogastric plexus (pelvic plexus in some texts)^[1] is a plexus of nerves that supplies the viscera of the pelvic cavity.

The inferior hypogastric plexus is a paired structure, with each situated on the side of the rectum in the male, and at the sides of the rectum and vagina in the female.

Sources

Contributions to the plexus include:

• a continuation of the hypogastric plexus on either side, in the form of the hypogastric nerve.

• sacral splanchnic nerves, which emerge from the sympathetic trunk.

• pelvic splanchnic nerves (from the second, third, and fourth sacral nerves) also contribute, parasympathetic efferent fibers to the plexus.

At the points of junction of these nerves small ganglia are found.

Course

From these plexuses numerous branches are distributed to the viscera of the pelvis.

They accompany the branches of the internal iliac artery.

It is the source for the middle rectal plexus, vesical plexus, prostatic plexus, and uterovaginal plexus.^[1]

Additional images

See also

• Superior hypogastric plexus
• Hypogastric nerve

References

External links

• Anatomy at UMich pelvic_autonomic_module/pelvic_page05
• Anatomy at UMich pelvic_autonomic_module/pelvic_page06
• Human anatomy at Dartmouth figures/chapter_32/32-6.HTM
• Norman/Georgetown posteriorabdomen (posteriorabdmus&nerves)

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

v • d • e Nerves - autonomic nervous system (sympathetic nervous system/ganglion/trunks and parasympathetic nervous system/ganglion)
Head/cranial	Ciliary ganglion: roots (Sensory, Parasympathetic, Sympathetic) - Short ciliary Pterygopalatine ganglion: deep petrosal - nerve of pterygoid canal branches of distribution: greater palatine (inferior posterior nasal branches) - lesser palatine - nasopalatine (medial superior posterior nasal branches) - pharyngeal Submandibular ganglion Otic ganglion
Neck/cervical	paravertebral ganglia: Cervical ganglia (Superior, Middle, Inferior) - Stellate ganglion prevertebral plexus: Cavernous plexus - Internal carotid
Chest/thorax	paravertebral ganglia: Thoracic ganglia prevertebral plexus: Cardiac plexus - Esophageal plexus - Pulmonary plexus - Thoracic aortic plexus splanchnic nerves: cardiopulmonary - thoracic cardiac nerves: Superior - Middle - Inferior
Abdomen/Lumbar	paravertebral ganglia: Lumbar ganglia prevertebral ganglia: Celiac ganglia (Aorticorenal) - Superior mesenteric ganglion - Inferior mesenteric ganglion prevertebral plexus: Celiac plexus - (Hepatic, Splenic, Pancreatic) - aorticorenal (Abdominal aortic plexus, Renal/Suprarenal) - Superior mesenteric (Gastric) - Inferior mesenteric (Spermatic, Ovarian) - Superior hypogastric (hypogastric nerve, Superior rectal) - Inferior hypogastric (Vesical, Prostatic/Cavernous nerves of penis, Uterovaginal, Middle rectal) splanchnic nerves: Lumbar splanchnic nerves enteric nervous system: Meissner's plexus • Auerbach's plexus
Pelvis/sacral	paravertebral ganglia: Sacral ganglia - Ganglion impar splanchnic nerves: Pelvic splanchnic nerves - Sacral splanchnic nerves
All	Rami communicans (White, Gray) - Preganglionic fibers - Postganglionic fibers