Urogenital disorders

III./1.4.: Spermatic cord

III./1.4.1.: General anatomy

Following the testis during its descent (and also after it, in adults), approximately a little finger thick cord. It includes the structures which accompany the descending testes: its vessels, nerves and the ductus deferens. It has the same coverings as the testis (therefore each layer of the abdominal wall has its continuation, covering the spermatic cord also). Courses upward from the upper pole of the testis, when reaching the abdominal wall turns into lateral direction. When the spermatic cord goes through the inguinal canal, it loses its coverings – one after another: at the superficial inguinal ring the cremasteric fascia is gone, in the inguinal canal the cremaster muscle, at the deep inguinal ring the spermatic fascia is lost. Upon entering the abdominal cavity is divided into its contents.

III./1.4.2.: Contents of the spermatic cord.

• - ductus deferens (posteriorly)

• - artery of ductus deferens

• - testicular artery and pampiniform plexus

• - autonomic nerve plexus: testicular plexus - postganglionic sympathetic and preganglionic parasympathetic nerve fibers (nervi erigentes / branches of splanchnic pelvic nerves)

• - lymphatics (4-8 vessels)

• - genital branch of genitofemoral nerve – gives the motor innervation of cremaster muscle and sensory nerves to the coverings of testis.

The ilioinguinal nerve doesn’t belong to the spermatic cord, but runs on its anterior surface, also in the inguinal canal; this nerve supplies anteriorly the scrotal skin (sensory innervation).