Spermatic cord Flashcards
What is the spermatic cord?
Collection of vessels, nerves and ducts that run to and from the testis
Surrounded by fascia
Describe the course of the spermatic cord.
Formed at the opening of the inguinal canal - the deep inguinal ring
Passes through inguinal canal and enters scrotum via the superficial inguinal ring.
In scrotum it disperses to supply the structures of testes & scrotum
Name the 3 fascial layers.
External spermatic fascia
Cremaster muscle & fascia
Internal spermatic fascia
What covers the 3 fascial layers?
Superficial fascia, which lies directly below the scrotal skin
What type of muscle is the Cremaster muscle?
Striated
What are the contents of the spermatic cord?
3 ARTERIES
- testicular artery
- cremasteric artery
- artery to vas
3 VEINS
- pampiniform plexus
- cremasteric vein
- vein of vas
3 NERVES
- genital branch of gentiofemoral
- sympathetics
- Ilioinguinal (outside)
3 FASCIAS
- external spermatic
- cremasteric
- internal spermatic
3 OTHERS
- vas deferens
- lymphatics
- tunica vaginalis
What is the pampiniform plexus?
Network of veins that drain testes.
Wraps around the testicular artery
What is the function of the pampiniform plexus?
Heat exchanger! That cools arterial blood before it reaches testes.
What is the vas deferens?
A straight, thick muscular tube that conveys sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct.
What is the ejaculatory duct?
Where the vas deferens and seminal vesicle duct converge
It then joins to the urethra
Passage of sperm to the urethra
Describe the muscular coat of the vas deferens.
Inner longitudinal layer
Intermediate circular layer
Outer longitudinal layer
How is sperm moved rapidly towards the ejaculatory duct?
Rich autonomic innervation of the muscles of the vas deferens
What gland joins to the urethra before it enters the penis?
Bulbourethral gland
What gland surrounds the convergence of the ejaculatory duct and the urethra?
Prostate
Draw all the tubes in the male reproductive tract!
:D
