Male Reproductive Anatomy

Question 1

what are the male reproductive organs?

Answer 1

testes

Question 2

accessory reproductive organs?

Answer 2

vas deferens
seminal glands
prostate
penis

Question 3

how long is the male urethra?

Answer 3

approx 20cm

Question 4

what divides the pelvis and perineum in males?

Answer 4

levator ani

Question 5

deescribe the path of the male urethra?

Answer 5

internal urethral orifice in bladder (contains internal urethral sphincter) > through prostate (“prostatic urethra”) > through external urethral sphincter (voluntary) > enters corpus spongiosum in penis > exits penis at external urethral orifice

Question 6

position if bladder in pelvis?

Answer 6

most anterior pelvic organ
lies posterior to pubic bone when empty
above prostate gland
in front of rectum

Question 7

what is the trigone?

Answer 7

triangle shape on internal aspect of bladder
- 2 ureteric orifices
- internal urethral orifice
most common site of transition cell tumour

Question 8

what forms bladder wall?

Answer 8

detrusor muscle mainly

fibres encircle ureteric orifices and tighten when bladder contracts to prevent urine reflux

Question 9

what forms the internal urethral sphinter muscle and what does it do?

Answer 9

detrusor muscle around the neck of the bladder

contracts during ejaculation to prevent retrograde ejaculation

Question 10

how do the testes develop and move?

Answer 10

originate on the posterior abdominal wall
by birth they have descended into the scrotum through the anterior abdominal wall via the inguinal canal
(vas deferens follows testis into the scrotum and almost connects the testis to the urethra)

Question 11

what follows the testis into the scrotum through the inguinal canal, what does this mean?

Answer 11

testicular artery
testicular vein
vas deferens
lymphatic vessels
nerves
- autonomic (vas deferens)
- somatic (cremaster muscle)

means blood supply, drainage and lymphatics all relate back to the abdomen

Question 12

what is contained within the spermatic cord?

Answer 12

vas deferens
testicular artery
pampinoform venous plexus
cremasteric artery
artery to the vas
nerve to cremaster
sympathetic nerves
lymphatics

Question 13

what forms the spermatic cord?

Answer 13

the 3 layers of coverings gained as the testis passes through the inguinal canal + the structures contained within

Question 14

what layers does the testis pass through on descent?

Answer 14

//

Question 15

position of the testis in the scrotum?

Answer 15

sit within a sac called the tunica vaginalis

- testis pushes into tunica vaginalis

Question 16

what is excess fluid in the tunica vaginalis called?

Answer 16

hydrocele

Question 17

temp for sperm production? what helps control this?

Answer 17

1 degree below core body temp

dortos muscle helps by controlling ascent and descent of testes in scrotum

Question 18

how many sperm produced per second and how long does it take?

Answer 18

1500 every second

take 64 days to mature

Question 19

path of sperm?

Answer 19

produced in seminiferous tubules
pass into rete testis
then into head of epididymis
epididymis then becomes vas deferens
vas passes superiorly in spermatic cord to deep inguinal ring
at deep inguinal ring, vas turns medially into the pelvis and loops around back of bladder and combines with seminal vesicle tubule to from ejaculatory duct
ejaculatory duct combines with urethra in prostate gland forming prostatic urethra

Question 20

what allows the testes and epididymis to be mobile within the scrotum?

Answer 20

attached to the spermatic cord superiorly only

- risk of twisting (torsion) which can disrupt blood supply

Question 21

position of epididymis?

Answer 21

posterior aspect of testis

its proximal end is located at posterior aspect of superior pole of testes

Question 22

are the vas deferens and epididymis palpable?

Answer 22

epididymus - not really when normal

vas - palpated within spermatic cord in scrotum superior to testes

Question 23

blood supply/drainage to testes?

Answer 23

supply = gondal arteries arise from lateral aspect of abdominal aorta

drainage = left testicular vein > left renal vein > IVC, right testicular vein > IVC

all pass via inguinal canal

Question 24

where are the seminal glands?

Answer 24

on top of prostate either side

feed into vas deferens in prostate to form ejaculatory duct

Question 25

position and function of bulbourethral gland?

Answer 25

either side of urethra in penis

secretes mucus which lubricates urethra and neutralises acidity

Question 26

position of prostate?

Answer 26

walnut shaped gland which surrounds prostatic urethra
sits below the bladder
inferior aspect in contact with levator ani muscle

Question 27

zones in the prostate?

Answer 27

peripheral zone either side connecting round the back
central zone
transition zone (contains urethra)
anterior/fibromuscular zone

Question 28

which zone do most prostatic cancers arise in?

Answer 28

peripheral

- part felt on digital examination

Question 29

what is a vasectomy?

Answer 29

vas transected and its lumen sutured closed bilaterally

Question 30

anatomical position of penis?

Answer 30

erect

Question 31

what is paraphimosis?

Answer 31

retraction of the prepuce (foreskin) causing constriction of the neck of the glans causing the glans to swell

Question 32

how is paraphimosis managed?

Answer 32

circumcision

Question 33

where is the penis found?

Answer 33

within the perineum

root laterally attached to ischium of pelvis

Question 34

what are the 3 cylinders of erectile tissue in the penis which become engorged with blood at arterial pressure to cause an erection?

Answer 34

corpus cavernosum (R and L)

• sit posteriorly
• transmit deep arteries of penis

corpus spongiosum

• sits anteriorly
• transmits spongy urethtra
• expands distally to form the glans penis

Question 35

what is the superficial perineal pouch?

Answer 35

area below perineal membrane
contains root of penis
- bulb (corpus spongiosum) and crura (corpus cavernosa)
- associated muscles (bulbospongiosus and ischiocavernosus)
also contains proximal spongy urethra, superficial transverse perineal muscle and branches of internal pudenal vessels and pudenal nerve

Question 36

blood supply to penis and scrotum?

Answer 36

supply = deep arteries of the penis (branches from internal pudenal artery from the internal iliac)

supply to scrotum = internal pudenal and branches from external iliac

Question 37

lymphatic drainage of penis and scrotum?

Answer 37

superficial inguinal nodes (in superficial fascia of groin)

- not the glans

Question 38

lymphatic driainage of testes?

Answer 38

lumbar nodes (around abdominal aorta)