Cardiovascular system · Pelvis · Male
Deep artery of penis !
The deep artery of the penis runs through the centre of each corpus cavernosum; it widens in erection to fill the erectile tissue with blood.
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What it is
A branch of the internal pudendal artery that runs down the centre of each corpus cavernosum (cavernosal artery).
What it does
Widens in erection to fill the cavernous spaces with blood; Doppler ultrasound measures its flow.
Key facts
- Origin
- Internal pudendal artery (artery of the penis) in the deep perineal pouch; enters the crus and runs in the centre of each corpus cavernosum
- Branches
- Helicine arteries that open into the cavernous sinusoids
- Supplies
- Erectile tissue of the corpus cavernosum; the main artery of erection, its flow measured by penile Doppler ultrasound
Relations
- Course
- From the artery of the penis (internal pudendal artery) in the deep perineal pouch, it pierces the perineal membrane, enters the crus and runs forward in the centre of the corpus cavernosum
- Superficial
- The cavernous sinusoids all round it, inside the tunica albuginea
On imaging
Penile Doppler ultrasound after a vasoactive injection measures its peak systolic velocity; a low value (a cut-off around 25 cm/s is often quoted) suggests arterial insufficiency. Angiography shows the fistula in high-flow priapism.
Common problems
- Narrowing (atherosclerosis) can reduce blood flow to the penis and cause erectile dysfunction, or buttock pain on walking.
Treatment
- Branches are blocked (embolised) to stop severe bleeding from a pelvic fracture.
Clinical notes
- Atherosclerosis of the internal pudendal artery and its penile branches links erectile dysfunction with heart and vessel disease
- Pelvic fracture or perineal trauma can damage the internal pudendal artery or its cavernous branches, a cause of arterial erectile dysfunction in young men
Anatomical variants
- Accessory pudendal arteries (from the obturator, inferior vesical or other pelvic arteries) running along the prostate supply the penis in some men; they are spared when possible in prostatectomy
Related conditions
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
What happens in the deep artery of the penis during erection?
Nitric oxide from the cavernous nerves relaxes the smooth muscle of its helicine branches and the sinusoids, so inflow rises.
How do phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors act on erection?
They prolong the nitric oxide signal that dilates the deep artery of the penis and the sinusoids.
What causes high-flow priapism, and how can it be treated?
A fistula between the deep artery of the penis and the sinusoids after perineal or penile trauma; selective embolisation can close it.
What does a low peak systolic velocity in the deep artery of the penis on Doppler suggest?
Arterial insufficiency as a cause of erectile dysfunction.
Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.
Its names
- Official Latin (TA2)
- arteria profunda penis
- Official Spanish (DeCS)
- Arteria profunda del pene
- English (TA2)
- Deep artery of penis
- Also called
- cavernosal artery
Related
Sources: Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Penis.
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.