ANN: Fundus -- why does it seem that it means different things?

[Guest guest]

Ann:

You raise a good point about how confusing medical lingo can be. This term

is a perfect example of that!

The word " fundus " , as you pointed out, comes from the Latin word for

" bottom " , as in the bottom of something. You still see this Latin influence in

contemporary Romantic languages--the word for " bottom " in French ( " fond " )

Spanish

( " fundo " ) and Italian ( " fondo " ). [Examples taken From my forthcoming book:

" Language & Leiomyoma Learning, Made Easy " by Roma!!] ...heheeeee!!

All very interesting, the etymology of the word-- except as we know from

reading the website you cited--and from Carla's book and elsewhere, the fundus

happens to be ON THE TOP part of the uterus!!!

What's up with THAT????

For your and my and everyone else's edification, I've gone ahead and pulled

out my copy of the massive 635-pound copy of *Stedman's Medical Dictionary 25th

Edition.* This " Stedman " is Lathrop Stedman, the doctor who worked

on the first editions of this book, not the Steadman who is Oprah's long-time

significant other. :-)

" Stedman " confirms the definition of fundus as being " the bottom or lowest

part of a sac or hollow organ. "

However, it provides additional enlightenment to this apparent contradiction

because Stedman's says _it can also mean_: " THAT PART FURTHEST AWAY FROM THE

OPENING OR EXIT, OCCASIONALLY A BROAD CUL-DE-SAC. "

Aha!!!!!!!

So that explains the apparent contradiction--why the top part of the uterus

is called " fundus " -- it is indeed the part furthest away from the opening (of

the cervix).

Well..........I'm certainly glad we got to the bottom of that....I mean, the

*TOP* of that!

-Researchin' Roma,

(Forever Finding Frivolous Fun in Fundi and Fundal Fibroids)

In a message dated 4/3/2004 6:36:20 PM Eastern Standard Time,

donovann@... writes:

I've noticed that some of the medical reports that women have posted

to the list have used the term fundus, seemingly to refer to

different things. In Merck's Manual they say that the fundus is the

top of the uterus, the part between the fallopian tubes at the top.

This diagram below demonstrates what I'm talking about.

http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?article=2946

But I've also found mention of this term to mean " Latin word for the

bottom. In medicine, fundus refers to the bottom or base of an organ. "

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=3525