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The levator ani is a broad, thin muscle group, situated on either side of the pelvis. It is formed from three muscle components: the pubococcygeus, the iliococcygeus, and the puborectalis. It is formed from three muscle components: the pubococcygeus, the iliococcygeus, and the puborectalis.
Torso, Pelvis, Levator ani: ischial spine, posterior part of tendinous arch of pelvic fascia: coccyx and anococcygeal raphe: inferior gluteal artery: levator ani nerve inferior rectal nerve from pudendal nerve (S3, S4) coccygeal plexus; supports organs in pelvic cavity: 2 1 pubococcygeus: Torso, Pelvis, Levator ani
Some sources do not consider "pelvic floor" and "pelvic diaphragm" to be identical, with the "diaphragm" consisting of only the levator ani and coccygeus, while the "floor" also includes the perineal membrane and deep perineal pouch. [6] However, other sources include the fascia as part of the diaphragm. [7]
The coccygeus muscle is posterior to levator ani and anterior to the sacrospinous ligament in the pelvic floor.It is a triangular plane of muscular and tendinous fibers. It arises by its apex from the spine of the ischium and sacrospinous ligament.
The fibers of the levator ani pass downward and backward to the middle line of the floor of the pelvis; the most posterior are inserted into the side of the last two segments of the coccyx; those placed more anteriorly unite with the muscle of the opposite side, in the anococcygeal body.
The anal fascia is the inferior layer of the diaphragmatic part of the pelvic fascia, which covers both surfaces of the levatores ani.It is attached above to the obturator fascia along the line of origin of the levator ani, while below it is continuous with the superior fascia of the urogenital diaphragm, and with the fascia on the sphincter ani internus.
[7] [8] [9] Other muscles that are part of the levator ani are: the pubococcygeus muscle which is made up of the puboperineal, pubovaginal, and puboanal muscles; the puborectal muscle; and the iliococcygeal muscle.
The external anal sphincter (or sphincter ani externus) is an oval tube of skeletal muscle fibers. [1] Distally, it is adherent to the skin surrounding the margin of the anus . [ 2 ] It exhibits a resting state of tonical contraction [ 1 ] and also contracts during the bulbospongiosus reflex .