Skip to content
Epomedicine
Epomedicine

Mnemonics, Simplified Concepts & Thoughts

  • Medical Students
  • Bedside Clinics
  • Case Reports
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Blog
  • Surgical Skills
  • Medical Mnemonics
Epomedicine

Mnemonics, Simplified Concepts & Thoughts

Pelvic Lymphatic Drainage

Epomedicine, Jun 26, 2024Jun 26, 2024

Last updated on June 26, 2024

1. Para-aortic (lumbar) nodes: Gonads (derive blood supply from kidneys)

  • Male: Testis, Epididymis
  • Female: Ovaries, Fallopian tube (except isthmus and intra-uterine parts), Uterine fundus

2. Inferior mesenteric nodes: As of blood supply – to the structures derived from hindgut

  • Descending colon
  • Sigmoid colon
  • Superior-most rectum

3. Common iliac nodes: Receives external and internal iliac nodes; Drains into para-aortic nodes

4. Superficial inguinal nodes: Everything that can be touched with fingers with few exceptions:

  • Posterolateral part of calf (can be touched) – but drains to popliteal nodes
  • Glans clitoris and Glans penis with distal spongy urethra (can be touched) – but drains to deep inguinal nodes
  • Round ligament and cornu of uterus (cannot be touched) – but drains to superficial inguinal nodes

Hence, the drainage area is –

  • Skin below umbilicus including scrotum, vulva and perianal skin with exceptions
  • Anal canal below pectinate line
  • Vagina inferior to hymen
  • Round ligament and cornu of uterus (exception)
pelvic lymphatic drainage
Wang, Tianyou & Xu, Yan & Shao, Wenyu & Wang, Chao. (2022). Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping: Current Applications and Future Perspectives in Gynecology Malignant Tumors. Frontiers in Medicine. 9. 922585. 10.3389/fmed.2022.922585. [CC BY 4.0]

5. Deep inguinal nodes: Glans clitoris, Glans penis and distal spongy urethra

6. Internal iliac nodes: All pelvic viscera, deep parts of perineum, gluteal muscles and posterior thigh with few exceptions:

  • Superior bladder
  • Superior pelvic ureter
  • Superior vagina, cervix and lower uterine body
  • Seminal gland, Ductus deferens (pelvic part), Spongy and intermediate urethra
  • Superior parts of rectum

Hence, the drainage area is –

  • Base of bladder + Prostate and prostatic urethra
  • Lower pelvic ureter
  • Inferior rectum and anal canal above pectinate line
  • Body of uterus, cervix, upper and middle vagina
  • Inferior seminal glands, cavernosus bodies

7. External iliac nodes: Antero-superior pelvic structures

  • Superior bladder
  • Superior pelvic ureter
  • Lower body of uterus, Cervix and Upper vagina
  • Seminal gland, Ductus deferens (pelvic part), Intermediate and spongy urethra

7. Sacral nodes: Postero-inferior pelvic structures, Inferior rectum, Inferior vagina

8. Para-rectal nodes: Superior rectum

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
PGMEE, MRCS, USMLE, MBBS, MD/MS AnatomyObGynOncologyReproductive system

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Epomedicine. Pelvic Lymphatic Drainage [Internet]. Epomedicine; 2024 Jun 26 [cited 2025 Jun 16]. Available from: https://epomedicine.com/medical-students/pelvic-lymphatic-drainage/.

Pre-clinical (Basic Sciences)

Anatomy

Biochemistry

Community medicine (PSM)

Embryology

Microbiology

Pathology

Pharmacology

Physiology

Clinical Sciences

Anesthesia

Dermatology

Emergency medicine

Forensic

Internal medicine

Gynecology & Obstetrics

Oncology

Ophthalmology

Orthopedics

Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)

Pediatrics

Psychiatry

Radiology

Surgery

RSS Ask Epomedicine

  • What to study for Clinical examination in Orthopedics?
  • What is the mechanism of AVNRT?

Epomedicine weekly

  • About Epomedicine
  • Contact Us
  • Author Guidelines
  • Submit Article
  • Editorial Board
  • USMLE
  • MRCS
  • Thesis
©2025 Epomedicine . All rights reserved.