Perineum Flashcards
What is the perineum?
Diamond-shaped region located just inferior to the pelvic diaphragm that supports male and female external genitalia, as well as to accommodate the terminal pathways for the urinary and GI tracts
Anterior boundary of perineum:
Pubic symphysis
Posterior boundary of perineum:
Tip of the cocyx
Lateral boundary of perineum:
Ischial tuberosities, ischipubic rami and sacrotuberous ligaments
Superior boundary of perineum:
Pelvic diaphragm
The perineum can be further subdivided into 2 triangular regions by a line that traverses both ischial tuberosities:
Urogenital and anal triangles
What is the UG triangle?
It is located anterior (ventral) to the line defined by the ischial tuberosities, ischiopubic rami, and pubic symphysis. It contains the UG diaphragm, external genitalia, and the terminal part of the urinary tract
What is the anal triangle?
Located posterior (dorsal) to the same line. This space is defined by the coccyx, sacrotuberous ligament, and ischial tuberosities and contains the anal canal, the ischioanal fat pad, and ischioanal fossa
What is compartmentalization?
The UG triangle is occupied by several distinct layers of fascia that compartmentalize this region into a superficial and deep pouch
What is the deep pouch?
Comprised of a muscular diaphragm (UG diaphragm) that is attached laterally along the ischipubic rami and bridges across the full extent of the UG-triangle. This deep transverse perineal muscle (and assoc fibers that contribute to the urethra in the male and female) lie superiorly to a fibrous aponeurotic sheet - perineal membrane to form the UG diaphragm
How is the UG diaphragm suspended?
Laterally by the ischipubic rami and is anchored at midline at its posterior border by a thickened centralized tendon - perineal body.
The perineal body is anchored to the:
Anal canal, which in turn is suspended posteriorly by the anal coccygeal ligament to the cocyx at midline
Where is the perineal membrane located?
Inferior to the deep transverse perineal muscle. It is made up of a tough aponeurotic sheet (tendinous sheet) which maintains the integrity of the UG diaphragm
Anterior boundary of deep pouch of UG diaphragm:
Body of pubis, just lateral to the pubic symphysis (an opening - hiatus for deep dorsal vein - bridges the region of the pubic symphysis)
Lateral boundary of deep pouch of UG diaphragm:
Ischiopubic rami (IPR) up to the ischial tuberosities
Posterior boundary of deep pouch of UG diaphragm:
A transverse line through ischial tuberosities through the center attachment called the perineal body
Superior boundary of deep pouch of UG diaphragm:
Investing fascia (not continuous) formed from the fascia coverings from the levator ani and obturator internus muscles
Inferior boundary of deep pouch of UG diaphragm:
Perineal membrane
Contents of the deep pouch (8):
- Deep transverse perineal m - M&F
- Compressor urethrae and sphincter urethrovaginalis - F
- Membranous urethrae - M&F
- Bulbourethral glands
- Dorsal n. penis (M) and clitoris (F)
- Internal pudendal a. - M&F
- Dorsal and deep arteries of the penis/clitoris
- Internal pudendal vv - M&F
What is the superficial pouch (compartment) of the UG triangle?
Includes the external genitalia and their investing fascias, and it can be subdivided into 2 spaces, one that lies between the perineal membrane and the deep perineal fascia - deep space of the superficial pouch. The other is located between the deep perineal fascia and the superficial perineal fascia - superficial space (of the superficial pouch)
What are the components of the DEEP space of the superficial compartment?
- Deep perineal fascia (Gallaudet’s fascia)
- Crus of penis (corpora cavernosa), bulb of penis (corpus spongiosum), ischiocavernosus m, bulbospongiosus m, superficial transverse perineal m, deep perineal nn, and perineal aa.
- F: crus of clitoris, bulb of vestibule, greater vestibular gland, ischiocavernosus m, bulbospongiosus m, superticial transverse perineal mm, deep perineal nn, and perineal aa
What is the deep perineal fascia?
Gallaudet’s fascia - is the investing fascia of the erectile tissue muscles in both male and female. This fascia is incredibly thick and has a firm attachment to the posterior border of the perineal membrane and laterally to the ischipubic rami. It reflects and firmly attaches to the body of the penis and clitoris at the anterior boundary of the perineum and becomes continuous with their respective deep penile fascia (Buck’s fascia) and the deep fascia of the clitoris
The deep perineal fascia is also continuous with the:
External abdominal oblique fascia
Components of the superficial space of the superficial compartment:
This region is defined as the space located between the deep perineal fascia and the superficial perineal fascia. It contains fatty CT invested by the superficial perineal fascia
What is the superficial perineal fascia?
It has firm attachment to the posterior margin of the perineal membrane and the ischiopubic rami. It reflects on to the body of the penis and clitoris ad becomes continuous with their respective superficial facial layers (superficial fascia of the penis and of the clitoris)
The superficial perineal fascia and the superficial penile/clitoral fascia in the male:
The superficial perineal fascia and the superficial penile fascia contain smooth muscle fibers (dartos muscle) that make attachments to the skin of the scrotum and penis. This layers LACKS fatty tissue and is continuous with Camper’s and Scarpa’s fascia on the anterior abdominal wall.
The superficial perineal fascia and the superficial clitoral fascia in the female:
The superficial perineal fascia lacks a Dartos layer but contains both a fatty and membranous fascia which are continuous with Camper’s and Scarpa’s fascia respectively
Male external genitalia includes:
Scrotum and penis
What is the scrotum?
A double sac, separated by a septum which houses the testicles. It consists of 2 layers - an outer layer of skin containing hair follicles and glands (sweat and sebaceous) , overlying a thickened fascial layer (superficial perineal fascia) that contains smooth muscle fibers (Dartos layer)
What is the function of the scrotum?
Regulates testicular temperature by contracting (in response to the cooling of the testicles) or relaxing in response to elevated temperature
What is the innervation of the scrotum?
Sensory by:
- Anterior scrotal n (branch of ilioinguinal n)
- Genital branch of genitofemoral n.
- Posterior scrotal (branch of pudendal n)
- Perineal branch of the posterior femoral cutaneous n.
Blood supply to the scrotum by:
- Posterior scrotal a. - branch of the internal pudendal a
- Anterior scrotal a - branch of the external pudendal a
- Testicular a - very small contribution to the scrotum
What is the penis composed of?
3 cylinders of specialized erectile tissue (corpora cavernosa - paired) and the corpus spongiosum which are firmly anchored to the UG diaphragm. These erectile tissues are invested by muscles and 2 layers of perineal fascia in the UG triangle and merge to form the body of the penis
What is the corpora cavernosum?
Paired cylinders of erectile tissue, with their proximal ends (crus) fused to urogenital diaphragm and the ischiopubic rami. The distal ends form 2/3’s of the penile body and terminate with blunt ends that are capped by the glans of the penis (terminal part of the corpus spongiosum)
In the UG triangle, the crus are invested by:
Deep penile fascia (Buck’s), then by ischiocavernousus m., which is then invested by a second layer of the deep perineal fascia (Gallaudet’s) The deep perineal fascia blends with the deep penile fascia on the body of the penis
What is the corpus spongiusom (CS)?
Single midline cylinder of erectile tissue that contains the penile urethra. At its proximal end, it si firmly attached to the perineal membrane - penile bulb.