1346 



Fig. II22. 



HUMAN ANATOMY. 



Branches. -The branches of the pudendal plexus are : (i) the visceral, (2) 



the muscular, (3) the perforating cu- 

 taneous, (4) the small sciatic, (5J the 

 pudic and (6) the sacro-coccygeal. 



1. The visceral branches are 

 really white rami communicautes. They 

 are derived from the second and third or 

 third and fourth sacral nerves and are 

 distributed to the pelvic viscera by way 

 of the pelvic plexus of the sympathetic. 

 The details of these nerves are des- 

 cribed with the pelvic plexus of the 

 sympathetic (page 1374)- 



2. The muscular branches 

 I furnish innervation to the levator ani, 



the coccygeus and the external sphinc- 

 ter ani. They arise from a loop-like 

 interlacement of nerve-fibres, formed by 

 the third and fourth sacral nerves, with 

 sometimes the addition of fibres from the 

 second. The nerve to the external 

 sphincter pierces the great sacro-sciatic 

 ligament and the coccygeus muscle, 

 sending filaments to the latter, and enters 

 the ischio-rectal fossa, lying between the 

 edge of the gluteus maximus and the 

 sphincter ani externus. It supplies the 



SACRO-COCCYGCAL 

 NERVti 



Diagram illustrating plan of pudendal and coccygeal 



plexuses. 



Fig. 1123 



From III. lumbar 

 nerve 



Cutaneous br.<. post 

 divisions or 

 sacral nerves 



Coccygeal nerves, 

 posterior divisions 



Coccygeal nerve, 

 anterior division 



From ant. V. sacral ^ 

 From ant. IV. sacral 

 Inferior hemor- 

 rhoidal nerves 



From II. lumbar nerve 



From I. lumbar nerve 



1 Iliac brs. of ilio- 

 X hypogastric 



Gluteal brs. of 

 small sciatic nerve 



Inferior pudendal 

 nerve 



Superficial dissection of right buttock and adjacent regions, showing cutaneous nerves. 



