VARIETIES OF THE PUDIC AKTERY. 447 



transverse muscle, and to the parts between the anus and the l^ulb of the 

 urethra. 



(d) Tlie artcrii of the hulh is, surgically considered, an important vessel. It 

 is very short ; arising from the pudic between the layers of the sub-pubic fascia, 

 and passing transversely inwards, this artery reaches the bulb a little in front of 

 the central point of the periufeum. and ramifies in the erectile tissue. It gives a 

 branch to Cowper's gland. 



(c) The artcrij of the cflrj)ii.9 cavernp.tiim (profunda penis), one of the terminal 

 branches of the internal pudic, runs a short distance between the crus penis and 

 the ramus of the pubis, and then continuing forward penetrates the crus, and 

 ramifies in the corpus caveniosum. 



(/) The dorsal artery of the jJenis rmrs between the crus and the pubic S5^n- 

 physis : having pierced the suspensory ligament, it continues along the dorsum 

 of the penis immediately beneath the skin, and parallel with the dorsal vein, as 

 well as with the correspondmg arterj- of the opposite side. It supplies the integ- 

 ument of the penis, and the fibrous sheath of the corpus caveniosum, anasto- 

 mosing with the deep arteries ; and, near the corona glandis, divides into branches, 

 which supply the glans and the prepuce. 



Varieties. — Orir/in. The pudic artery is sometimes small, or it is defective in 

 one or two, or even three of its usual branches, which, in those circumstances, 

 ai-e supplied by a supplemental vessel, the aeeessory jjitdic. The defect most 

 frequently met with is that in which the pudic ends as the artery of the bulb, 

 whilst the ai'teries of the corpus cavemosum and the dorsum of the penis are 

 derived from the accessoiy pudic. But all the three arteries of the penis may be 

 supplied by the accessory pudic, the pudic itself ending as the superficial perineal. 

 A single accessory jjudic has been found to supply both cavernous arteries, whilst the 

 pudic of the right side gave both dorsal arteries. On the other hand, cases have 

 occurred in which only a single branch was furnished by the accessory artery, 

 either to take the place of an ordinary branch altogether wanting, or to supplement 

 one of the branches which was diminutive in size. 



The accessory 2>i'dic generally arises from the pudic itself, before the passage of 

 that vessel from the sacro-sciatic foramen, and descends within the pelvis, and 

 along the lower part of the urinary bladder. It lies on the upper part of the 

 prostate gland, or it may be, for a short space, likewise on the j^osterior margin, 

 and then proceeding forwards above the membranous part of the ui-ethra, reaches 

 the perinajum, by piercing the fascia of the sub-pubic arch. 



The accessory pudic sometimes arises from other branches of the internal iliac 

 artery, and is not unfrequently connected with the prostatic or some other branch of 

 the inferior vesical artery. A vessel having a similar distribiition may sj^ring from 

 the external iliac, through an irregular obtui-ator, or through the epigastric arterj-. 



Branches. — The artery of the bulb is sometimes small, sometimes wanting on 

 one side, and occasionally it is double. But a more important deviation from the 

 common condition is one sometimes met with, in which the vessel, arising' earlier, 

 and crossing the perineum farther back than usual, reaches the bulb from 

 behind. In such a case there is considerable risk of dividing the artery iu pev- 

 forming the lateral operation for stone. On the other hand, when this small 

 vessel arises from an accessory pudic artery, it lies more forward than usual, and 

 out of danger in case of operation. 



The dorsal artery of the penis has been obsei"ved to arise from the deep femoral 

 ai-tery and to pass obliquely upwards and inwards to reach the root of the penis. 

 Tiedemann gives a di-awing of this variety. 



The pudic artery in the female. — In the female this vessel is much 

 smaller than in the male. Its course is similar, and it gives the fol- 

 lowing branches. 



The sujjerjicial perineal branch is distributed to the labia pudendi. 

 The artery of the hulh supplies the mass of erectile tissue above and at 

 the sides of the entrance of the vagina, named the bulb of the vagina ; 

 whilst the two terminal branches, corresponding to the artery of the 



