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Benign Disorders of the
Upper Genital Tract
Chapter 26
Kristin Van Heertum, MD
❍ What is the average weight of the mature woman’s uterus?
30 to 40 g.
❍ What is the normal length of the uterine cavity?
3.5 cm.
❍ Approximately what percentage of uteri will be retroverted on examination?
About one third. It is important to emphasize that this is a normal variant.
❍ What is a cystocele?
The downward displacement of the bladder into the vagina.
❍ What is a cystourethrocele?
A cystocele that includes the urethra as part of the prolapsing organ complex.
❍ What is uterine prolapse?
The descent of the uterus and cervix down the vaginal canal toward the vaginal introitus.
❍ What is a rectocele?
The protrusion of the rectum into the posterior vaginal lumen.
❍ What is an enterocele?
The herniation of small bowel into the posterior cul-de-sac.
❍ What is the pelvic organ prolapse quantitative (POPQ)?
An objective, standardized system for describing pelvic support in women. It allows for consistency between
examiners and is the most commonly used pelvic support scoring system.