Instance of a Peduncular Subserosal Uterine Fibroid

Description

Centered on the uterine corpus, a pedunculated subserosal leiomyoma (myoma) projects outward from the serosal surface on a narrow stalk, extending anteriorly and laterally from the myometrium rather than expanding into the endometrial cavity. The fundus continues superiorly into the uterine cornua, where each fallopian tube courses laterally toward the adnexa, terminating in the fimbriae adjacent to the ovary. Ovaries sit posterolateral to the uterus near the tubal infundibulum, providing an anatomic reference for how an exophytic fibroid can occupy the same pelvic compartment as the tube and ovary. Peduncular subserosal fibroids matter because symptoms and risk are driven less by bleeding and more by mass effect and mobility: a stalked lesion can compress the tube, abut the ovary, or distort the tubo-ovarian relationship without directly involving the endometrium. Torsion of the pedicle is the classic acute complication, producing sudden pelvic pain and ischemic change that can mimic adnexal torsion on exam and imaging, and the surgical field often hinges on identifying the pedicle’s uterine attachment to control bleeding during laparoscopic myomectomy. Degenerative change (red degeneration or hyaline degeneration) may also present with localized tenderness and variable enhancement, and mapping the fibroid’s serosal origin helps separate it from ovarian neoplasm when the mass sits lateral to the uterus. Use this artwork for teaching uterine fibroid classification (submucosal vs intramural vs subserosal), counseling on symptom patterns in gynecology clinic materials, or illustrating operative planning in atlases covering myomectomy and hysterectomy approaches. It also fits radiology and ultrasound education when correlating exophytic uterine masses with adnexal findings. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.