In human anatomy

Human anatomy

Human anatomy is primarily the scientific study of the morphology of the human body. Anatomy is subdivided into gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy. Gross anatomy is the study of anatomical structures that can be seen by the naked eye...

, the presacral space is inside the pelvis

Pelvis

In human anatomy, the pelvis is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the lower limbs .The pelvis includes several structures:...

, behind the rectum

Rectum

The rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in some mammals, and the gut in others, terminating in the anus. The human rectum is about 12 cm long...

 and in front of the coccyx

Coccyx

The coccyx , commonly referred to as the tailbone, is the final segment of the vertebral column. Comprising three to five separate or fused vertebrae below the sacrum, it is attached to the sacrum by a fibrocartilaginous joint, the sacrococcygeal symphysis, which permits limited movement between...

 and sacrum

Sacrum

In vertebrate anatomy the sacrum is a large, triangular bone at the base of the spine and at the upper and back part of the pelvic cavity, where it is inserted like a wedge between the two hip bones. Its upper part connects with the last lumbar vertebra, and bottom part with the coccyx...

. Normally it is empty, or it contains a pocket of fat.

It is usually covered by sigmoid colon

Sigmoid colon

The sigmoid colon is the part of the large intestine that is closest to the rectum and anus. It forms a loop that averages about 40 cm...

.

Clinical significance

The presacral space may contain one of several kinds of tumor

Tumor

A tumor or tumour is commonly used as a synonym for a neoplasm that appears enlarged in size. Tumor is not synonymous with cancer...

. The most common tumor here is sacrococcygeal teratoma

Sacrococcygeal teratoma

Sacrococcygeal teratoma is a teratoma located at the base of the coccyx . It is thought to be a derivative of the primitive streak.-Natural history:...

. Others are retrorectal hamartoma

Hamartoma

A hamartoma is a benign, focal malformation that resembles a neoplasm in the tissue of its origin. This is not a malignant tumor, and it grows at the same rate as the surrounding tissues. It is composed of tissue elements normally found at that site, but which are growing in a disorganized mass...

 (tailgut cyst), schwannoma

Schwannoma

A schwannoma is a benign nerve sheath tumor composed of Schwann cells, which normally produce the insulating myelin sheath covering peripheral nerves....

, ganglioneuroma

Ganglioneuroma

Ganglioneuroma is a tumor of the sympathetic nerve fibers arising from neural crest cells.For example, it can be found also in the eye , or in the medulla of adrenal glands. Some may be a progressive form of a neuroblastoma....

, and ependymoma

Ependymoma

Ependymoma is a tumor that arises from the ependyma, a tissue of the central nervous system. Usually, in pediatric cases the location is intracranial, while in adults it is spinal. The common location of intracranial ependymoma is the fourth ventricle...

. Also sometimes found here is an anterior meningocele, a relatively mild form of neural tube defect.

External links