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Abstract
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
1. Macroscopical characters of the cervix:
The material for studying the gross anatomical characters was obtained from 180 Egyptian buffalo cows slaughtered at local slaughterhouse in Assiut province and the study revealed that:
1- The average external length of the buffalo cervix was 6.71 ± 1.20 cm with an a range of 4.0 – 10.0 cm.
2- The average anterior diameter was 3.29 ± 0.56 cm and ranged from 2.0 – 4.6 cm.
3- The average middle diameter was 3.33 ± 0.55 cm with a range of 1.9 – 4.6 cm.
4- The average posterior diameter was 3.42 ± 0.53 cm and ranged from 2.2 – 4.9 cm.
5- The average thickness of the cervical wall was 1.24 ± 0.18 cm and ranged from 0.7 – 1.7 cm.
6- The cervical mucosa possess 1 – 4 transverse folds and 13 – 32 longitudinal folds.
7- The height of transverse rings varied according to the number and the location of the ring either vaginal or uterine. The most greater transverse ring was highest at the vaginal end of the cervix and significantly decreased toward the uterine end. According to the location, the vaginal rings don’t differ in height from 2, 3 or 4 rings while the uterine rings increase in height significantly from 4 rings through 3 rings to 2 rings.
11. Micromorphological characters of the cervix:
The material for this this originated from 5 pluriparous animals. After preparing the whole cervix, slices were obtained from the anterior, middle and posterior parts. These slices were further fixed and prepared for sectioning and staining. The study revealed the following:
1- The cervical mucosa was thrown into primary folds that gave secondary and tertiary folds.
2- The folds increased in height towards the middle of the cervix then decreased in height gradually towards the caudal portion of the cervix.
3- The folds are covered by epithelium of simple columnar variety which shows glandular activity. The epithelium changed to pseudostratified columnar epithelium at the base of the primary folds. At the portio vaganalis the cervix was lined by stratified squamous epithelium.
4- The lamina propria is relatively thick consisting of fine collagenous and numerous elastic fibrillar elements and is highly vascular.
5- Several tubular glands were demonstrated within the lamina propria at the lateral wall of the anterior third of the cervix.
6- The tunica muscularis is well developed, composing of an inner circular and an outer longitudinal layer.
7- The inner circular muscle layer is relatively thin consisting of smooth muscle fibers oriented circularly around the mucous tunics. The thickness of this layer is 3.77 ± 0.07, 4.26 ± 0.27 and 2.91 ± 0.32 mm at the cranial, middle and caudal portions of the cervix, respectively.The muscle-connective tissue percent was about 83.9% and 16.1%, 82.5% and 17.5% and 79.8% and 20.2% in the cranial, middle and caudal thirds of the cervix, respectively.
8- The outer longitudinal muscle layer is composed of some small smooth muscle bundles dispersed into an abundance of collagenous connective tissue elements which occupy the major portion of this layer.The muscle-connective tissue percent was about 37.1% and 62.9%, 34.2% and 65.8% and 32.2% and 67.8% in the cranial, middle and caudal thirds of the cervix, respectively. The outer longitudinal muscle layer is 5.10 ± 0.52, 5.10 ± 0.29 and 5.54 ± 0.33 mm in thickness at the cranial, middle and caudal portions of the cervix respectively.
9- A vascular layer composing of several arterioles and venules and lymphatic demonstrated itself between the aforementioned two muscle layers
111. Ultrasonographic picture of the cervix:
The material of this part originated from 25 pregnant buffalo cows, 4 cyclic cows and 9 heifers. Ultrasonographic study revealed the following:
1- During prepuberty, the tissue of the cervix is less compact and more hypoechogenic than uterine tissue and than that of the vagina and the cervical rings appeared as a hyperechogenic. The depth of the cervix in the anterior, middle and posterior parts was 1.18 ± 0.15, 1.47 ± 0.12 and 0.94 ± 0.13 cm, respectively.
2- During the follicular phase of estrus cycle, the cervical tissue is more echogenic and some hypoechogenic fluid appears in the posterior part of the cervix and vagina.
3- The anterior depth of the cervix was about 2.6 cm while the posterior depth was 2.05 cm during the follicular phase.
4- During the luteal phase, the cervix is more hypoechogenic than in estrus phase and there is no fluid detectable in the cervical canal which is less identified than during estrus.
5- The cervix nearly of the same depth allover (2.4 cm) except at the most posterior part was 2.2 cm.
6- The depth in early pregnancy is 2.99 ± 0.57 cm.
7- During mid gestation period, the cervical depth was 3.56 ± 0.48 cm
8- Late gestation cervical depth reached 3.75 ± 0.81 cm.
9- The depth in the last month of pregnancy reduced to 1.92 ± 0.13 cm.
IV. Conclusion:
1- The investigation revealed the general morphological characteristics of the buffalo cervix. Although there were variations in the structure (measurements, number of transverse and longitudinal cervical folds) yet there are similarities and dissimilarities between the cervix of the buffalo and that of the cow.
2- Most important finding is the microscopical structure of the buffalo cevix which showed an inner circular and outer longitudinal muscle layers dispersed in an abundance of collagen fibers which increased in thickness toward the vagina.
This may open the way for understanding the mechanism of cervical dilatation and treatment of failure of cervical dilatation.
3- Moreover, studies on cervical picture as revealed by ultrasonography showed the changes during pregnancy which indicate that ultrasonography is a good tool for studying cervical problems