Surgical Anatomy of the Pelvis

The concept of this anatomical chart arose as a consequence of the approach taken during the anatomy module of the ‘Anatomy of Complications Workshop’. The authors discovered that most anatomical illustrations do not portray the pelvis from the visual perspective of surgeons. The novel illustrations in the chart, drawn from a series of pelvic dissections, will hopefully act as a valuable teaching aid in the understanding of surgical anatomy. The overall aim of the chart is to improve performance in specialist obstetricians and gynaecologists and thus help in the prevention and management of complications during surgery

Dr Ian Hammond was a Gynaecologic Oncologist and Director of Gynaecology at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women in Perth, Western Australia. He was an Adjunct Professor in the School of Anatomy and Human Biology and Clinical Professor in the School of Women’s and Infant’s Health at the University of Western Australia until retirement in 2012. He was responsible, with John Taylor, for the development of the ‘Anatomy of Complications Workshop’. (www.acworkshop.com/)

Dr John Taylor was a Urological Surgeon and Urogynaecologist, working at the Department of Urology and Urogynaecology at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women, Perth, Western Australia and in private practice until retirement in 2009. He has been the driving force behind the interdisciplinary involvement of urologists and gynaecologists in the Anatomy of Complications workshop. 

Both Dr Taylor and Dr Hammond along with Professor McMenamin were instrumental in designing the ‘Surgical Anatomy of the Female Pelvis’ chart and as a group they all worked to decide, based on their extensive experience, on the critical areas of anatomy that were best selected for inclusion in the chart.