The long colic nerves in human fetuses. I. Macroscopic studies.

The long colic nerves were investigated in 50 fetuses aged 13 to 21 weeks. The long colic nerves arise from the pelvic nerves, pelvic plexuses, hypogastric nerves, and intermesenteric plexus. The nerves may take origin from two or three sources, and in most cases they arise from the pelvic nerves. They ascend along the sigmoid and descending colons reaching the left portion of the transverse colon.