Superficial perineal pouch

The superficial perineal pouch (also superficial perineal compartment/space/sac) is a compartment of the perineum.

Superficial perineal pouch
Coronal section of anterior part of male pelvis, through the pubic arch. Seen from in front. (Superficial perineal pouch is white outline at bottom.)
Muscles of male perineum.
Details
Artery	Branches of internal pudendal artery
Vein	Branches of internal pudendal veins
Nerve	Branches of perineal nerve
Lymph	Superficial inguinal lymph nodes
Identifiers
Latin	compartimentum superficiale perinei or spatium superficiale perinei
TA98	A09.5.02.001
TA2	2415
FMA	22062
Anatomical terminology

Structure

The superficial perineal pouch is an open compartment, due to the fact that anteriorly, the space communicates freely with the potential space lying between the superficial fascia of the anterior abdominal wall and the anterior abdominal muscles:

• its inferior border is the fascia of Colles, the deeper membranous layer of the superficial perineal fascia that covers the inferior border of the muscles of the superficial perineal pouch. (The fascia of perineum is a deep fascia that covers the superficial perineal muscles individually).
• its superior border is the perineal membrane (inferior fascia of the urogenital diaphragm).

Contents

• Muscles
  • Ischiocavernosus muscle
  • Bulbospongiosus muscle
  • Superficial transverse perineal muscle
• Erectile bodies
  • Corpora cavernosa (of penis and of clitoris)
  • Corpus spongiosum (of penis)
• Vessels
  • Posterior scrotal arteries (males)/labial arteries (females)
  • Artery to bulb (males)/vestibule (females)
  • Urethral artery
• Nerves
  • Posterior scrotal nerves (males)/posterior labial nerves (females)
• Other
  • Root of penis (male)
    • Crura of penis and bulb of penis
  • Root of clitoris (female)
    • Crura of clitoris and bulbs of vestibule
  • Bartholin's glands (female)
  • Spongy urethra contained in the corpus spongiosum (male)

Additional images

• 
  Median sagittal section of male pelvis, showing arrangement of fasciae.
• 
  Muscles of female perineum.

See also

• Deep perineal pouch

External links

• Anatomy photo:41:09-0100 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "The Female Perineum: The Superficial Perineal Pouch"
• perineum at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)