Human Reproduction, Vol. 16, No. 7, 1329-1333,
July 2001
© 2001 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Preferential vascular-based transfer from vagina to the corpus but not to the tubal part of the uterus in postmenopausal women
1 Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Southern Denmark, Winsloewparken 21, DK-5000 Odense M, Denmark and 2 Department of Obstetric and Gynaecology, University of Bari, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare, 70124 Bari, Italy
BACKGROUND: Vaginal administration of progesterone during infertility treatment has therapeutic advantages over oral administration. However, the reasons for this are poorly defined. To demonstrate a preferential vagina-to-uterus distribution of substances, we investigated cold distribution from vagina to the uterus and rectum. METHOD: In 10 postmenopausal women, thermoprobes were inserted into the uterine cavity and in the rectum at <9 cm or at >9 cm from the anus; temperatures were subsequently measured during 10 min flushing of vagina with cold saline. RESULTS: After 10 min, temperature decreased as follows: uterus, tubal angle: –0.22 ± 0.07°C, 10 (mean ± SEM, n); uterus, middle cavity: –1.26 ± 0.34°C, 9; rectum, <9 cm insertion: –3.69 ± 0.68°C, 3; rectum, >9 cm insertion: –0.51 ± 0.19°C, 6. CONCLUSIONS: Despite obviously different distances to the vagina of the uterine and the low rectal probes (<9 cm) the temperature decrease occurred at the same time. Cold transfer from vagina to the uterus and rectum is probably not the result of simple diffusion but of a vascular counter-current transfer. Differential cooling of corpus and tubal angles suggests a different arterial supply; while uterine corpus is supplied from the uterine artery, the tubal angles seem to be mainly supplied from the ovarian artery via the tubal arcade.
Key words: postmenopausal women/tubal vascularization/uterine artery/uterine vascularization/vagina-to-uterus
3 To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: n.einer-jensen{at}imbmed.sdu.dk
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  E. Cicinelli, N. Einer-Jensen, R. Alfonso, M. Marinaccio, R. Nicoletti, G. Colafiglio, and M. Bellavia A dominant ovarian follicle induces unilateral changes in the origin of the blood supply to the tubal corner of the uterus Hum. Reprod., November 1, 2005; 20(11): 3208 - 3211. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N Einer-Jensen and R. Hunter Counter-current transfer in reproductive biology Reproduction, January 1, 2005; 129(1): 9 - 18. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Cicinelli, N. Einer-Jensen, M. Cignarelli, L. Mangiacotti, D. Luisi, and S. Schonauer Preferential transfer of endogenous ovarian steroid hormones to the uterus during both the follicular and luteal phases Hum. Reprod., September 1, 2004; 19(9): 2001 - 2004. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Cicinelli, N. Einer-Jensen, B. Barba, D. Luisi, R. Alfonso, and M. Tartagni Blood to the cornual area of the uterus is mainly supplied from the ovarian artery in the follicular phase and from the uterine artery in the luteal phase Hum. Reprod., April 1, 2004; 19(4): 1003 - 1008. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. Einer-Jensen, E. Cicinelli, P. Galantino, V. Pinto, and B. Barba Uterine first pass effect in postmenopausal women Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2002; 17(12): 3060 - 3064. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Cicinelli, N. Einer-Jensen, P. Galantino, V. Pinto, B. Barba, and M. Tartagni Model of counter-current transfer from vagina to urethra in postmenopausal women Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2001; 16(12): 2496 - 2500. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|