pathologic retraction ring

pathologic retraction ring

n.

A constriction of the junction between the thinned lower uterine segment and the thick retracted upper uterine segment caused by obstructed labor; a sign of impending rupture of the uterus. Also called Bandl's ring.

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pathologic retraction ring,

a ridge that may form around the uterus at the junction of the upper and lower uterine segments during the prolonged second stage of an obstructed labor. The lower segment is abnormally distended and thin, and the upper segment is abnormally thick. The ring, which may be seen and felt abdominally, is a warning of impending uterine rupture. Also called Bandl's ring. Compare constriction ring, physiologic retraction ring.