THE PERINEUM, MALE. 401 



reaching to the bladder, prostate, and rectum. Beneath 

 these structures the fascia is continuous with the similar 

 layer from the opposite side. The fascia thus com- 

 pletely closes the pelvic outlet and supports the pelvic 

 viscera. 



At the side of the rectum, bladder, and prostate the 

 fascia splits into two layers, an upper layer that is reflected 

 upward on to the rectum for a distance of two inches or so 

 and becomes lost ; on to the bladder it reaches upward above 

 the seminal vesicles (thus shutting them out from the pelvic 

 cavity proper), then merges into the wall of the bladder. 

 The lower layer is continued inward to join the opposite 

 layer beneath the bladder, and also sends a lamina down- 

 ward to enclose the prostate, form its capsule, and become 

 continuous with the deep layer of the triangular ligament 

 Between the fascia, bladder, and prostate lies a collection 

 of large veins known as the vesicoprostatic plexus. The 

 rectum lies in close contact \vith the prostate and the base 

 of the bladder, separated from them only by a layer of the 

 rectovesical fascia, w 7 hich is reflected upward and downward 

 upon it. The lower layer is lost in the muscular tissue of 

 the rectum above the anus ; the upper reflection can be 

 traced about two inches, when it, too, is lost in the sub- 

 stance of the bowel. 



The portions of the fascia reaching to the rectum are 

 called the true ligaments of the rectum, and the portions 

 reaching to the sides of the bladder are likewise called the 

 lateral true ligaments of the bladder. Besides these liga- 

 ments (all parts of the same fascial plane) the fascia which 

 extends from both sides of the inner surface of the pubes to 

 the front of the neck of the bladder and prostate are called 

 the anterior true ligaments of the bladder and prostate. 

 These are the best marked, and contain involuntary muscu- 

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