An anatomical term for a horn-shaped projection, used for several structures including the cornua of the hyoid bone and the uterus.
Structure
The hyoid bone has two pairs of cornua: greater cornua extending posteriorly and lesser cornua projecting upward. The uterus has cornua at its upper outer corners where the fallopian tubes enter.
Function
Each cornu acts as a structural extension. Hyoid cornua anchor several muscles, while the uterine cornua mark the path that a fertilized egg follows from the tube to the uterine cavity.
Clinical note
A fertilized egg implanting in a uterine cornu produces a cornual ectopic pregnancy, which carries a higher risk of rupture than other ectopic sites.
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