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Related Concept Videos

Anatomical Terminology01:20

Anatomical Terminology

Knowledge of anatomy is essential to understand human biology and medicine. Anatomists and health care professionals use standard terminology to describe the human body with more precision and no ambiguity. Anatomical terms have mostly Greek and Latin-derived roots. Because these languages are rarely used in conversation, the meaning of words remains the same. Each term is made up of a root in between the prefixes and suffixes. The root of a term often refers to an organ, tissue, or condition,...
Assessment of the Rectum and Anus01:25

Assessment of the Rectum and Anus

Evaluating the rectum and anus plays a crucial role in conducting a thorough physical examination of the gastrointestinal system. Although it may be uncomfortable and often embarrassing for the patient, it holds immense diagnostic value, particularly in detecting gastrointestinal diseases and abnormalities. This guide will explain how to perform this assessment using inspection and palpation methods.
Rectal Inspection
Begin by inspecting the perianal and anal areas for color, texture, rashes,...
Regional Terms01:12

Regional Terms

Regional terms describe anatomy by dividing the body parts into different regions that contain structures involved in contributing similar functions. Using these terms helps increase the accurate description and identification of the particular region of interest or region affected by the disease.
Primarily, the human body has two major regions, the axial and appendicular regions. The axial region comprises regions from the head to the abdomen and makes up the central body axis. In contrast,...
Directional Terms01:14

Directional Terms

Directional terms are essential for describing the relative locations of different body structures. For instance, an anatomist might describe one band of tissue as "inferior to" another, or a physician might describe a tumor as "superficial to" a deeper body structure. These terms often use comparative terms in pairs to trace out the relative locations of one body part to another or descriptions of body tissues like the deeper ones from superficially present with reference to the body's upright...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2026

Dissection of Imaginal Discs from 3rd Instar Drosophila Larvae
07:36

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Published on: February 17, 2007

The Rectal Wings-Highlighting by Dissection, Contents and Clarifications Regarding the Terminology.

Iulian-Alexandru Dogaru1,2, Daniela-Elena Gheoca Mutu2,3, Iulian Slavu2,4

  • 1Doctoral School, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.

Current Health Sciences Journal
|May 26, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Rectal wings are specialized pelvic connective tissues. This study clarifies their anatomical structure and surgical relevance for nerve-sparing total mesorectal excision (TME).

Keywords:
Rectal wingsinferior hypogastric plexuslateral rectal ligamentmesorectal fasciaposterior rectal ligamenttotal mesorectal excision

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Area of Science:

  • Anatomy
  • Surgical Anatomy
  • Pelvic Anatomy

Background:

  • Rectal wings stabilize the rectum but their anatomy is debated.
  • Understanding rectal wings is crucial for total mesorectal excision (TME).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the structure, contents, and topographical relationships of rectal wings.
  • To harmonize anatomical terminology with surgical practice.

Main Methods:

  • Cadaveric dissection of four adult male cadavers.
  • Mobilization of rectum and mesorectum following TME standards.
  • Preservation of pelvic autonomic nerves during dissection.

Main Results:

  • Lateral rectal wings are subperitoneal connective tissue condensations linking mesorectal and presacral fasciae.
  • Posterior rectal wings are sagittal condensations around middle sacral vessels.
  • Both wings merge with mesorectal fascia, acting as extensions of pelvic laminae.

Conclusions:

  • Rectal wings are specialized pelvic subperitoneal connective tissues.
  • Clarifying rectal wing anatomy improves understanding of pelvic fascial planes.
  • This knowledge is critical for performing nerve-sparing TME.