Terminology View at Levator Ani Muscle via Historical and Modern Conception

Abstract

Aim - to analyze and summarize the literature data of levator ani muscle, using the terminological approach. Materials and methods. We used literature in anatomy, biology with levator ani muscle description included Medline/Pubmed resources guide. Results. We found 18 terms determined levator ani muscle components in literature. The terms were used to describe diseases, perineal muscles, fascia and pelvic ligaments associated with urinary and fecal incontinence, traumatic injuries during labor in women, operative access to pelvic organs in men with surgical interventions for radical prostatectomy and rectum extirpation. We illustrated schematically levator ani muscle in men and women, supplementing the study by dissecting the perineal region in 3 men and 2 women. The terms defining the components of levator ani muscle in women are following: m. puboperinealis, m. pubovaginalis, m. puboanalis - united in m. pubovisceralis; m. pubococcygeus, m. iliococcygeus. In men, levatorani muscle is represented by the following components: m. puboprostaticus (m. levator prostatae), m. puboperinealis, m. puboanalis, m. puborectalis, m. pubococcygeus, m. iliococcygeus.