Vas Deferens 



43 



up the globus major of the epididymis (eW, over ; didvpus, twin). 



From the lower part of the globus major the body of the epididymis 



tapers downwards, but it 



thickens below into the 



globus minor, from which 



the vas deferens conveys 



the semen to the common 



ejaculatory duct, at the 



base of the bladder. 



Encysted hydrocele 

 of the testis results from 

 accumulation of fluid in 

 one of the coiled tubes of 

 the gland or of the epi- 

 didymis. The dilatation 

 may be extreme ; the fluid 

 differs from that of an 

 encysted hydrocele of the 

 cord (p. 430) in that it con- 

 tains seminal filaments. 

 Multiple cystic disease of 

 the testis is similarly pro- 

 duced, but, the proper 

 secreting tissue having 

 been destroyed, the fluid 

 may be destitute of sper- 

 matozoa. 



The vas deferens lies ^ lobules ; c, vasa recta ; d, rete ; e, vasa efferentia ; f, 



at the back of the COrd, coni vasculosi ; g, epididymis ; A, vas deferens ; i, vas 



, . , , aberrans ; m, n, spermatic artery ; o, artery of vas, 



and, picked Up between and/, its anastomosis with spermatic. 



the finger and thumb, 



feels like a piece of whipcord. It is nearly two feet long. Having 

 reached the upper opening of the inguinal canal, it bends downwards 

 and inwards around the deep epigastric artery ; and, lying close be- 

 neath the peritoneum, courses over the side of the bladder, lying to 

 the vesical aspect of the ureter and to the median side of the vesicula 

 seminalis, the duct of which it joins at the base of the prostate to enter 

 the prostatic urethra at the sinus pocularis (p. 413). In its course from 

 the internal abdominal ring it lies above the external iliac arteiy. 

 From the ring it descends alone, the spermatic vessels passing up to 

 the renal region. It consists of a mucous lining, a dense fibrous wall, 

 and a thick and firm intermediate coat of non-striated muscular fibres ; 

 the mucous coat is covered with columnar epithelium. The artery of 

 the vas is derived from one of the vesical branches, and, running 

 towards the testis, it anastomoses with the spermatic artery, as shown 

 in the adjacent figure. 



