Perineal nerve
Encyclopedia
The perineal nerve is a nerve
arising from the pudendal nerve
that supplies the perineum
.
, is situated below the internal pudendal artery
.
It accompanies the perineal artery
and divides into two branches:
Nerve
A peripheral nerve, or simply nerve, is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of peripheral axons . A nerve provides a common pathway for the electrochemical nerve impulses that are transmitted along each of the axons. Nerves are found only in the peripheral nervous system...
arising from the pudendal nerve
Pudendal nerve
The pudendal nerve is a sensory and somatic nerve in the pelvic region which is a large branch of the sacral plexus that innervates the external genitalia of both sexes, as well as sphincters for the bladder and the rectum...
that supplies the perineum
Perineum
In human anatomy, the perineum is a region of the body including the perineal body and surrounding structures...
.
Structure
The perineal nerve is the inferior and larger of the two terminal branches of the pudendal nervePudendal nerve
The pudendal nerve is a sensory and somatic nerve in the pelvic region which is a large branch of the sacral plexus that innervates the external genitalia of both sexes, as well as sphincters for the bladder and the rectum...
, is situated below the internal pudendal artery
Internal pudendal artery
The internal pudendal artery is an artery that branches off the internal iliac artery, providing blood to the external genitalia.The internal pudendal artery is the terminal branch of the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery...
.
It accompanies the perineal artery
Perineal artery
The perineal artery arises from the internal pudendal artery, and turns upward, crossing either over or under the Transversus perinæi superficialis, and runs forward, parallel to the pubic arch, in the interspace between the Bulbocavernosus and Ischiocavernosus, both of which it supplies, and...
and divides into two branches:
- Superficial perineal nerves, becoming posterior scrotal nervesPosterior scrotal nervesThe posterior scrotal branches or ""posterior labial branches"" are two in number, medial and lateral. They are branches of the perineal nerve, which is itself is a branch of the pudendal nerve...
in men and Posterior labial nervesPosterior labial nervesThe posterior labial nerves are branches of the pudendal nerve.The counterparts in males are the posterior scrotal nerves.-External links: - "The Female Perineum: Muscles of the Superficial Perineal Pouch" - "Inferior view of female perineum, branches of the internal pudendal artery."...
in women - Deep branch of the perineal nerveDeep branch of the perineal nerveThe deep branch of the perineal nerve are distributed to the muscles of the perineum. These include the superficial transverse perineal muscle, bulbospongiosus, ischiocavernosus, and constrictor urethræ....
(also known as "muscular")