Ligament
You don't need to be Editor-In-Chief to add or edit content to WikiDoc. You can begin to add to or edit text on this WikiDoc page by clicking on the edit button at the top of this page. Next enter or edit the information that you would like to appear here. Once you are done editing, scroll down and click the Save page button at the bottom of the page.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Phone:617-632-7753
Please Take Over This Page and Apply to be Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [2] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.
Overview
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote three different types of structures: [1]
- Fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones. They are sometimes called "articular ligaments"[2], "fibrous ligaments", or "true ligaments".
- A fold of peritoneum or other membrane
- The remnants of a tubular structure from the fetal period of life
The first meaning is most commonly what is meant by the term "ligament". After briefly discussing the other two types of ligaments, the remainder of this article will focus upon the first type.
Peritoneal ligaments
Certain folds of peritoneum are referred to as ligaments.
Examples include:
- The hepatoduodenal ligament surrounds the hepatic portal vein and other vessels as they travel from the duodenum to the liver.
- The broad ligament of the uterus is also a fold of peritoneum.
- The suspensory ligament of the ovary
Fetal remnant ligaments
Certain tubular structures from the fetal period are referred to as ligaments after they close up and turn into cord-like structures:
| Fetal | Adult |
| ductus arteriosus | ligamentum arteriosum |
| extra-hepatic portion of the fetal left umbilical vein | ligamentum teres hepatis (the "round ligament of the liver"). |
| intra-hepatic portion of the fetal left umbilical vein (the ductus venosus) | ligamentum venosum |
| distal portions of the fetal left and right umbilical arteries | medial umbilical ligaments |
Articular ligaments
In its most common use, a ligament is a short band of tough fibrous dense regular connective tissue composed mainly of long, stringy collagen fibres. Ligaments connect bones to other bones to form a joint. (They do not connect muscles to bones; that is the function of tendons.) Some ligaments limit the mobility of articulations, or prevent certain movements altogether.
Capsular ligaments are part of the articular capsule that surrounds synovial joints. They act as mechanical reinforcements. Extra-capsular ligaments join bones together and provide joint stability.
Ligaments are only slightly elastic; when under tension, they gradually lengthen. (Unlike tendons which are very elastic). This is one reason why dislocated joints must be set as quickly as possible: if the ligaments lengthen too much, then the joint will be weakened, becoming prone to future dislocations. Athletes, gymnasts, dancers, and martial artists perform stretching exercises to lengthen their ligaments, making their joints more supple. The term double-jointed refers to people who have more elastic ligaments, allowing their joints to stretch and contort further. The medical term for describing such double-jointed persons is hyperlaxity and double-jointed is a synonym of hyperlax.
The study of ligaments is known as desmology.
The consequence of a broken ligament can be instability of the joint. Not all broken ligaments need surgery, but if surgery is needed to stabilise the joint, the broken ligament can be joined. Scar tissue may prevent this. If it is not possible to fix the broken ligament, other procedures such as the Brunelli Procedure can correct the instability. Instability of a joint can over time lead to wear of the cartilage and eventually to osteoarthritis.
Examples
Knee
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
- Lateral collateral ligament (LCL)
- Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)
- Medial collateral ligament (MCL)
- Cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) - quadruped equivalent of ACL
- Caudal cruciate ligament (CaCL) - quadruped equivalent of PCL
Head and neck
Pelvis
- Anterior sacroiliac ligament
- Posterior sacroiliac ligament
- Sacrotuberous ligament
- Sacrospinous ligament
- Inferior pubic ligament
- Superior pubic ligament
- Suspensory ligament of the penis
Thorax
Wrist
- See Wrist#Ligaments
References
- ↑ ligament at eMedicine Dictionary
- ↑ l_09/12488504 at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
External links
Fetal vascular remnant ligaments | |
|---|---|
| Heart | Ligamentum arteriosum |
| Liver | Round ligament of liver - Ligamentum venosum |
| Umbilical | Medial umbilical ligament (see also Median umbilical ligament and Lateral umbilical ligament) |
nl:Ligament (anatomie)simple:Ligament sk:Väz (tkanivo) fi:Nivelside sv:Ligament
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
