THE VEINS OF THE LOWEK EXTEEMITY. 985 



Uterine Plexuses and Veins. The uterine plexuses lie along the borders of the 

 uterus; they receive tributaries, which are entirely devoid of valves, from the uterus; 

 and they communicate above with the ovarian, and below with the vaginal plexuses. 



The uterine veins, usually two on each side, issue from the lower parts of the uterine 

 plexuses, above their communications with the vaginal plexuses. At first the uterine 

 veins, on each side, lies in the medial part of the base of the broad ligament, above the 

 lateral fornix of the vagina and the ureter ; then they pass backwards, accompanying the 

 corresponding artery, in a fold of peritoneum which lies between the back of the broad 

 ligament and the recto-uterine fold ; finally they ascend in the floor of the ovarian fossa, 

 and terminate in the corresponding hypogastric vein. 



Vaginal Plexuses and Vaginal Veins. The vaginal plexuses lie at the sides 

 of the vagina. They receive tributaries from the walls of the vagina, and communicate 

 with the uterine plexuses above, and with the veins of the bulb below ; anteriorly, with the 

 vesical plexus ; and posteriorly with the veins which issue -from the middle and lower parts 

 of the ha3morrhoidal plexus. A single vaginal vein issues from the upper part of the 

 vaginal plexus on each side ; it accompanies the corresponding artery, and terminates 

 in the hypogastric vein. 



Superior Vesical Plexus. The superior vesical plexus of veins lies on the outer 

 surface of the muscular coat of the bladder, at the fundus and the sides. It receives 

 tributaries from the mucous and muscular walls, and its efferent vessels terminate in the 

 prostatico- vesical plexus in the male, and in the inferior vesical plexus in the female. 



Prostatico-vesical Plexus. This plexus is distributed around the prostate and the 

 neck of the bladder, and is enclosed between the proper fibrous capsule of the prostate 

 and its sheath of recto-vesical fascia. Anteriorly it is continuous with the pudendal 

 plexus which receives the dorsal vein of the penis ; postero-superiorly it communicates 

 with the superior vesical plexus, and receives tributaries from the seminal vesicles and 

 deferent ducts. One or more efferent vessels pass from it on each side and open into 

 the corresponding hypogastric vein. 



The inferior vesical plexus of the female, which represents the prostatico-vesical 

 plexus of the male, surrounds the upper part of the urethra and the neck of tlie bladder. 

 It is continuous with the pudendal plexus which receives the dorsal vein of the clitoris, 

 and its efferent vessels terminate in the hypogastric vein. 



Dorsal Veins of the Penis. There are two dorsal veins of the penis the 

 superficial and the deep. 



The superficial dorsal vein receives tributaries from the prepuce, and runs backwards, 

 immediately beneath the skin, to the symphysis, where it divides into two branches which 

 terminate in the superficial external pudendal veins. 



The deep dorsal vein lies on the dorsum of the penis, deep to the deep fascia. It 

 commences in the sulcus behind the glans, by the union of numerous tributaries from 

 the glans and the anterior parts of the corpora cavernosa penis ; and it runs backwards in 

 the mid-dorsal line, in the sulcus between the corpora cavernosa penis from which it 

 receives many additional tributaries. At the root of the penis the vein passes between the 

 two layers of the suspensory ligament, and then between the arcuate ligament and the 

 deep transverse ligament of the perineum, where it lies above the membranous part of 

 the urethra. It terminates by dividing into two branches which join the pudendal plexus. 



The dorsal vein of the clitoris in the female has a similar course to that of the deep 

 dorsal vein of the penis in the male. It terminates in the pudendal plexus. 



The veins of the inferior extremity, like those of the superior extremity, are 

 arranged in two groups, the superficial and the deep ; and in the lower as in the 

 upper limb the deep veins are associated with the arteries as venae comites, whilst 

 the trunks of the superficial veins, which lie, at first, in the subcutaneous tissues 

 ultimately terminate in the deep veins. There is, therefore, a general similarity in 

 the arrangement of the veins of the upper and the lower limbs, but there are 

 differences in the details of the arrangement which are of some importance. Thus, 

 in the superior extremity, there are two deep veins with each artery from the 

 fingers to the root of the limb, where a single trunk, the axillary vein, is formed ; 

 but in the inferior extremity each main artery has two venae comites only as far as 

 the middle of the limb, where a single trunk is frequently formed. That vessel, 

 the popliteal vein, is the commencement of the main venous stem of the lower 



THE VEINS OF THE INFERIOR EXTREMITY. 



