624 A MANUAL OF ANATOMY 



spongiosum, the artery of the corpus cavernosum, and the dorsal 

 artery of the penis. 



The artery of the corpus spongiosum (artery of the bulb) arises 

 from the internal pudic about ^ inch above the base of the 

 triangular ligament, and passes transversely inwards in the sub- 

 stance of the compressor urethrse muscle. On approaching the 

 urethra it turns forwards, and, having pierced the compressor 

 urethrae, it passes through an opening in the antero-inferior layer 

 of the triangular ligament at the side of the urethral aperture. It 

 then enters the bulb, and is continued onwards in the corpus 

 spongiosum as far as the glans penis, the erectile tissue of which 

 parts it supplies. It anastomoses with its fellow of the opposite 

 side and with the dorsal arteries of the penis. Whilst between the 

 two layers of the triangular ligament the artery furnishes a branch 

 to Cowper's gland of the corresponding side. 



The artery of the corpus cavernosum is one of the two ter- 

 minal branches of the internal pudic, and is somewhat larger 

 than the dorsal artery of the penis, which is the other terminal 

 branch. It arises about i inch below the subpubic angle, and 

 immediately thereafter pierces the compressor urethrse muscle and 

 the antero-inferior layer of the triangular ligament close to the 

 ischio-pubic ramus. It then passes between the bone and the 

 crus, and, entering the crus on its deep surface, it is continued on- 

 wards in the centre of the corpus cavernosum as far as the distal 

 end of that body, the erectile tissue of which it supplies. 



The dorsal artery of the penis is the continuation of the internal 

 pudic. For a very short distance it lies between the two layers 

 of the triangular ligament embedded in the compressor urethrae 

 muscle, its course here being upwards. It then turns forwards, 

 and, having pierced that muscle and the antero-inferior layer 

 of the ligament very near its upper part, it ascends between the 

 crus and the symphysis pubis. Its subsequent course is between 

 the two layers of the suspensory ligament of the penis, and then 

 along the dorsum of the organ, where it has the centrally-placed 

 dorsal vein on its inner side and the dorsal nerve of the penis on 

 its outer. On arriving at the neck of the penis it ends in branches 

 for the supply of the glans and prepuce, where it anastomoses with 

 its fellow of the opposite side and the arteries of the corpus spon- 

 giosum. In its course along the dorsum of the penis the artery 

 gives off many branches, some of which supply the integument and 

 anastomose with the superior external pudic of the common femoral, 

 whilst others pierce the fibrous sheath of the corpus cavernosum 

 to supply its erectile tissue, these latter anastomosing with the 

 artery of the corpus cavernosum. 



Varieties of the Internal Pudic Artery — i. Trunlj. — The vessel is occasionally 

 of small size, and may terminate in the artery of the bulb, or in the super- 

 ficial perineal artery. In these cases an accessory pudic artery is present, 

 which supplies the deficiencies. This vessel usually arises from the first or 

 intrapelvic part of the internal pudic, though it may spring from an inferior 



