1046 



THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 



parts, right and left, which descend into the pelvic cavity and which, by English 

 authors, are frequently designated as the pelvic plexuses. 



The pelvic parts of the hypogastric plexus (pelvic plexuses) lie at the sides of the 

 rectum in the male, and at the sides of the rectum and the vagina in thefemale. 

 They receive peripheral branches from the sacral ganglia of the sympathetic trunk 

 and visceral efferent fibres by way of the pelvic splanchnics from the second and 



Fig. 791.— The Hypogastric and Sub-plexuses of the Pelvic Cavity. (After Spalteholz.-' 



Abdominal aortic plexus — 1" 



Sympathetic gangliated trunk 

 ^-' Lumbar ganglion 



Iliac plexus 



--Transverse process of fourth 

 lumbar vertebra 



Hypogastric plexus 



Anterior primary division of 

 fifth lumbar nerve 



Inferior mesenteric plexus 



Left branch of the 

 hypogastric plexus 



Sympathetic trunk 



Superior 

 haemorrhoidal 



Sacral 

 plexus 

 Visceral branches of 

 pudendal plexus 



-- Middle haemorrhoidal plexus 

 Pudic nerve 



Inferior 

 vesical 

 nerves 



Prostate gland 



Dorsal nerve 

 of penis 



Penis - 



Prostatic plexus 

 ■ Rectum 

 Levator ani 



Cavernous plexus of penis 

 Great cavernous nerve 



third or third and fourth sacral si)inal nerves. Each pelvic part of the plexus 

 accompanies tlu; corresi)onding hyi)ogastri(^ (internal iliac) artery, and gives off 

 secondary plexuses that (;ontiiiue" on t\w. branches of the artery to the pelvic 

 viscera. Of these secondary plexuses, the middl(> lucmorrhoidal and the vesical 

 plexus are common to both sexes and are paired. 



Thn middle haemorrhoidal plexus passes on each side alonp; the middle hajrnorrhoidal artery 

 to the rectum, when; it nsccives the superior iKriiiorilioidal nerves and sends filaments into the 

 wall of the rectum (fig. 791). 



