The penis is the male organ of copulation and urination. It is built from three cylinders of erectile tissue, two corpora cavernosa on top and one corpus spongiosum underneath carrying the urethra, all wrapped in fascia and loose skin. It has a root fixed in the perineum, a body (shaft) and an expanded tip, the glans.
| Location | Anterior to the scrotum, with its root attached to the pubic arch and perineal membrane in the superficial perineal pouch |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Dorsal nerve of the penis (pudendal nerve, sensory); Cavernous nerves (parasympathetic S2-S4, erection); Sympathetic fibres T11-L2 (emission, detumescence); Ilioinguinal nerve (skin of the root) |
| Blood Supply | Internal pudendal artery: dorsal artery, deep (cavernosal) artery and artery of the bulb; External pudendal arteries (skin) |
| Venous drainage |
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| Lymphatic drainage |
|
Delivers semen into the vagina during intercourse and carries urine out of the body.
Erection depends on parasympathetic nerves relaxing smooth muscle so that blood fills the erectile tissue and compresses the draining veins; damage to these nerves during pelvic surgery is a cause of erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction is often an early warning sign of cardiovascular disease. A forceful bend of the erect penis can tear the tunica albuginea, a penile fracture needing urgent repair.
Persistent difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection, commonly vascular, neurological, hormonal, medication-related or psychological.
Rupture of the tunica albuginea of a corpus cavernosum during erection, with a cracking sound, rapid detumescence and bruising.
Fibrous plaque in the tunica albuginea causing curvature and pain on erection.
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