Block 2: ANATOMY: Inguinal Canal, Scrotum, Spermatic Cord

What are the contents of the inguinal canal in males?

spermatic cord

What are the contents of the inguinal canal in females?

round ligament of uterus

In both sexes, what is the nerve that travels through the inguinal canal?

ilioinguinal nerve (L1)

What is the thick walled muscular tube that transports spermatozoa from the epididymus to the ejaculatory duct?

ductus deferens/ vas deferens

Which arteries are paired branches of the abdominal aorta?

testicular arteries

Which veins form the pampiniform plexus (plexus around testicular artery)?

testicular veins

The right testicular vein drains into the...

inferior vena cava

The left testicular vein drains into the...

left renal vein

Which lymph vessels run with the spermatic cord to the deep inguinal ring and ascend to reach the lumbar/lateral aortic lymph nodes?

testicular lymph vessels

Lymph from where drains into the superficial inguinal lymph nodes?

lymph from scrotum

What are the 7 contents of the spermatic cord?

1. cremasteric artery
2. artery of the vas deferens
3. genital branch of genitofemoral nerve
4. vas deferens
5. testicular artery and pampiniform plexus
6. lymph vessels
7. autonomic nerves

The cremasteric artery is a branch of what artery?

inferior epigastric artery

The cremasteric artery links with or anastomoses with what artery?

testicular artery

Which artery supplies the coverings of the spermatic cord?

cremasteric artery

Which artery originates from the superior vesical artery and links with the testicular artery?

artery of vas deferens

Which nerve is a branch of the lumbar plexus, containing fibers from ventral rami of L1 and L2 spinal nerves?

genital branch of genitofemoral nerve

Which nerve innervates the cremaster muscle and skin of the scrotum/ labium majus?

genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve

Around what level do the testis and ovary originate?

L1

What is the labioscrotal swelling in males?

Scrotum

What is the labioscrotal swelling in females?

labia majora

When do the testis take their final position in the scrotum?

end of the 8th month of intra-uterine life

What is the distal part of the processus vaginalis (HINT: closed sac)?

tunica vaginalis

What causes the ovary to stop descending?

gubernaculum

What is the name for the part of the gubernaculum that extends form the ovary to the uterus?

ovarian ligament

What is the name for the part of the gubernaculum that extends from the uterus to the labioscrotal swellings

round ligament of uterus

What is the name for the area of fusion of the 2 labioscrotal swellings?

scrotal raphe

What is different about the labioscrotal swellings in females?

they DO NOT fuse, forming the labia majora

What is responsible for the wrinkling of scrotal skin?

dartos muscle

What is the superficial fascia of the scrotum in which fat has been replaced by smooth muscle?

tunica dartos of scrotum

In the scrotum, what represents the lower, expanded part of the processus vaginalis?

tunica vaginalis

What are the 2 layers of the tunica vaginalis and what do they cover or line?

1. visceral-> covers testis (except posterior border) and epididymis
2. parietal-> lines inner aspect of internal spermatic fascia

What kinds of space is the cavity between the 2 layers of the tunica vaginalis?

potential space

What are the 2 functions of the testes?

1. spermatogenesis=production of spermatozoa
2. production of hormones-> testosterone

Spermatogenesis only occurs when?

testes are at lower temperature than the abdominal cavity

What plexus and artery assist in stabilizing the temperature of testes?

pampiniform plexus and testicular arteries

What is the name for the tough, fibrous connective tissue covering each testis?

tunica albuginea

What covers the tunica albuginea?

visceral layer of tunica vaginalis

The interior fo the testis is divided into lobules. Each lobule contains 1-3 tubules. What is the name for these tubules?

seminiferous tubules

What is the flow of things from seminiferous tubules-> epididymus?

seminiferous tubules-> rete testis-> efferent ductules-> upper/head of epididymus

What structure is the site for storage and maturation of spermatozoa?

epididymus

What is a protrusion of parietal peritoneum and loop of small intestine through inguinal canal?

inguinal hernia

What is the most common type of abdominal hernia?

inguinal hernia

What are the 2 types of inguinal hernias? Which type is most common?

1. indirect= most common
2. direct

In which type of inguinal hernia does the hernial sac leave the abdominal cavity lateral to the inferior epigastric vessels through the deep inguinal ring?

indirect inguinal hernia

Which type of inguinal hernia is the result of congenital defects (persistent processus vaginalis)?

indirect inguinal hernia

Which type of hernia is most commonly seen in children and young adults?

indirect inguinal hernia

In which type of inguinal hernia does the hernial sac leave the abdominal cavity medial to the inferior epigastric vessels, protruding through the inguinal (Hesselbach's) triangle?

direct inguinal hernia

What type of inguinal hernia is more common in older men? And what does this mean?

direct inguinal hernia; means this is an ACQUIRED HERNIA