2. Learning objectives
• By the end of the session students will be able
to
• Describe the gross features of male and
female urethra.
• Mention their blood supply, lymphatic
drainage and nerve supply.
• List some relevant applied aspects.
12. Blood supply and lymphatic drainage
Arterial Supply of the Proximal Male Urethra
• The proximal two parts of the urethra are supplied by
prostatic branches of the inferior vesical and middle
rectal arteries.
Venous and Lymphatic Drainage of the Proximal Male
Urethra
• The veins from the proximal two parts of the urethra
drain into the prostatic venous plexus.
• The lymphatic vessels pass mainly to the internal iliac
lymph nodes; a few vessels drain into the external iliac
lymph nodes
13. Arterial Supply of the Distal Male Urethra
• The arterial supply of the intermediate and spongy
parts of the urethra is from branches of the dorsal
artery of the penis.
Venous and Lymphatic Drainage of the Distal Male
Urethra
• Veins accompany the arteries and have similar names.
• Lymphatic vessels from the intermediate part of the
urethra drain mainly into the internal iliac lymph
nodes; whereas most vessels from the spongy urethra
pass to the deep inguinal lymph nodes.
14. Arterial Supply of the Female Urethra
• By the internal pudendal and vaginal arteries.
Venous and Lymphatic Drainage of the Female Urethra
• The veins follow the arteries and have similar names.
• Most lymphatic vessels from the urethra pass to the
sacral and internal iliac lymph nodes, but a few vessels
from the distal urethra drain into the deep inguinal
lymph nodes.
16. Innervation of Male Urethra
• The nerves are derived from the prostatic plexus
(mixed sympathetic, parasympathetic, and
visceral afferent fibers).
• The prostatic plexus is one of the pelvic plexuses
(an inferior extension of the vesical plexus)
arising as organ-specific extensions of the inferior
hypogastric plexus.
• The dorsal nerve of the penis, a branch of the
pudendal nerve, provides somatic innervation of
the spongy part of the urethra
17. Innervation of the Female Urethra
• The nerves to the urethra arise from the
vesical (nerve) plexus and the pudendal nerve.
• Visceral afferents from most of the urethra
run in the pelvic splanchnic nerves, but the
termination receives somatic afferents from
the pudendal nerve. Both the visceral and the
somatic afferent fibers extend from cell bodies
in the S2-S4 spinal ganglia.
20. Types of hypospadias:
• (1) glandular,
• (2) coronal,
• (3) penile,
• (4) penoscrotal, and
• (5) perineal.
21.
22.
23. Facts to be considered during
catheterization of male urethra
• The external orifice at the glans penis is the narrowest
part of the entire urethra.
• Within the glans, the urethra dilates to form the fossa
terminalis (navicular fossa).
• Near the posterior end of the fossa, a fold of mucous
membrane projects into the lumen from the roof.
• The membranous part of the urethra is narrow and
fixed.
• The prostatic part of the urethra is the widest and most
dilatable part of the urethra.
• By holding the penis upward, the S-shaped curve to the
urethra is converted into a J-shaped curve.
