Spermatic cord
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Praveen Jha had no recorded disclosures.
View Praveen Jha's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had the following disclosures:
- Philips Australia, Paid speaker at Philips Spectral CT events (ongoing)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosures- Spermatic cords
- Funiculus spermaticus
The spermatic cord (TA: funiculus spermaticus) is the tubular structure that suspends the testes and epididymis in the scrotum from the abdominal cavity.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
Course
The spermatic cord arises at the deep inguinal ring, passes through the inguinal canal and exits at the superficial inguinal ring into the scrotum 3. In the scrotum, the spermatic cord terminates at the posteromedial border of the testis 1,2.
Coverings
The fascial layers of the anterior abdominal wall all contribute to the coverings of the spermatic cord, explained by the descent of the testes 'dragging' the layers of the anterior abdominal wall into the scrotum. Thus there are three layers of the spermatic cord (from outermost to innermost):
external spermatic fascia (arising from the external oblique aponeurosis)
cremaster fascia which contains the cremaster muscle (arising from the internal oblique muscle and aponeurosis)
internal spermatic fascia (arising from the transversalis fascia) 1,2
Contents
artery of the ductus deferens, arising from the superior vesical artery
testicular artery, arising from the abdominal aorta
cremasteric artery, arising from the inferior epigastric artery
pampiniform plexus draining into the testicular vein
genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve
lymphatics
-
nerves
sympathetic: fibers on arteries
parasympathetic: fibers on the ductus deferens 1,3
A useful mnemonic to remember the contents of the spermatic cord can be found here.
Relations
The ilioinguinal nerve runs anterior to the spermatic cord.
ADVERTISEMENT: Supporters see fewer/no ads
Variant anatomy
patent processus vaginalis
Related pathology
spermatic cord lipoma: accounts for ~70% of spermatic cord masses
References
- 1. Shadbolt CL, Heinze SB, Dietrich RB. Imaging of groin masses: inguinal anatomy and pathologic conditions revisited. Radiographics. 2001;21 Spec No: S261-71. Pubmed citation
- 2. Butler P, Mitchell A, Healy JC. Applied Radiological Anatomy. Cambridge University Press. (2012) ISBN:0521766664. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Moore KL, Dalley AF. Anatomy. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (1999) ISBN:0683061410. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 4. FIPAT. Terminologia Anatomica. 2nd ed. Federative International Programme for Anatomical Terminology, 2019. FIPAT.library.dal.ca
Incoming Links
- Spermatic cord hydrocele
- Testicular torsion-detorsion syndrome
- Bell clapper deformity
- Varicocele
- Artery to the ductus deferens
- Hydrocele
- Inguinal hernia
- Pleomorphic liposarcoma
- Cremasteric artery
- Whirlpool sign (testicular torsion)
- External oblique muscle
- Genitofemoral nerve
- Vasitis
- Inferior vesical artery
- Epididymitis
- Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours of the urogenital system
- Transversalis fascia
- Funiculus (disambiguation)
- Spermatic cord liposarcoma
- Paratesticular tumors
- Spermatic cord and scrotum (Gray's illustrations)
- Testicular torsion with preserved parenchymal vascularity
- Granulomatous epididymo-orchitis, seminal vesiculitis, and funiculitis
- Spermatic cord haematoma
- Testicular embryonal cell carcinoma
- Spermatic cord liposarcoma
- Testicular torsion and infarction
- Funiculitis
- Funiculitis
- Whirlpool sign (testicular torsion)
- Testes and spermatic cord (Gray's illustration)
- Atrophic testis
- Polyorchidism with torsion
- Testicular infarction from torsion
- Testicular torsion
- Spermatic cord liposarcoma
- Testicular torsion
- Spermatic cord hydrocele
- Testicular torsion
Related articles: Anatomy: Abdominopelvic
- skeleton of the abdomen and pelvis
- muscles of the abdomen and pelvis
- spaces of the abdomen and pelvis
- anterior abdominal wall
- posterior abdominal wall
- abdominal cavity
- pelvic cavity
- perineum
- abdominal and pelvic viscera
- gastrointestinal tract
- spleen
- hepatobiliary system
-
endocrine system
-
adrenal gland
- adrenal vessels
- chromaffin cells
- variants
- pancreas
- organs of Zuckerkandl
-
adrenal gland
-
urinary system
-
kidney
- renal pelvis
- renal sinus
- avascular plane of Brodel
-
variants
- number
- fusion
- location
- shape
- ureter
- urinary bladder
- urethra
- embryology
-
kidney
- male reproductive system
-
female reproductive system
- vulva
- vagina
- uterus
- adnexa
- Fallopian tubes
- ovaries
- broad ligament (mnemonic)
- variant anatomy
- embryology
- blood supply of the abdomen and pelvis
- arteries
-
abdominal aorta
- inferior phrenic artery
- celiac artery
- superior mesenteric artery
- middle suprarenal artery
- renal artery (variant anatomy)
- gonadal artery (ovarian artery | testicular artery)
- inferior mesenteric artery
- lumbar arteries
- median sacral artery
-
common iliac artery
- external iliac artery
-
internal iliac artery (mnemonic)
- anterior division
- umbilical artery
- superior vesical artery
- obturator artery
- vaginal artery
- inferior vesical artery
- uterine artery
- middle rectal artery
-
internal pudendal artery
- inferior rectal artery
-
perineal artery
- posterior scrotal artery
- transverse perineal artery
- artery to the bulb
- deep artery of the penis/clitoris
- dorsal artery of the penis/clitoris
- inferior gluteal artery
- posterior division (mnemonic)
- variant anatomy
- anterior division
-
abdominal aorta
- portal venous system
- veins
- anastomoses
- arterioarterial anastomoses
- portal-systemic venous collateral pathways
- watershed areas
- arteries
- lymphatics
- innervation of the abdomen and pelvis
- thoracic splanchnic nerves
- lumbar plexus
-
sacral plexus
- lumbosacral trunk
- sciatic nerve
- superior gluteal nerve
- inferior gluteal nerve
- nerve to piriformis
- perforating cutaneous nerve
- posterior femoral cutaneous nerve
- parasympathetic pelvic splanchnic nerves
- pudendal nerve
- nerve to quadratus femoris and inferior gemellus muscles
- nerve to internal obturator and superior gemellus muscles
- autonomic ganglia and plexuses
Related articles: Pathology: Genitourinary
- obstetrics
-
first trimester
- ultrasound findings in early pregnancy
- embryo/fetus
- beta-hCG levels
- confirming intrauterine gestation
- pregnancy of unknown location (PUL)
- first trimester vaginal bleeding
- early structural scan
- aneuploidy testing
-
second trimester
- fetal biometry
- amniotic fluid volume
- fetal morphology assessment
- soft markers
- amnioreduction
- Doppler ultrasound
- nuchal translucency
- 11-13 weeks antenatal scan
- chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis
- other
- placenta
- placental anatomy
- placental developmental abnormalities
- placenta previa
- spectrum of abnormal placental villous adherence
- abnormalities of cord insertion
- abruptio placentae
- placental pathology
- vascular pathologies of placenta
- placental infections
- placental masses
- molar pregnancy
- twin placenta
- miscellaneous
-
first trimester
- gynecology
- acute pelvic pain
- chronic pelvic pain
- uterus
- ovaries
- ovarian follicle
- ovarian torsion
- pelvic inflammatory disease
- ovarian cysts and masses
- paraovarian cyst
- polycystic ovaries
- ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
- post-hysterectomy ovary
- cervix
- fallopian tube
- other
- male genital tract
- prostate gland
- transrectal ultrasound
- prostate tumors
- infections of the prostate
-
prostatitis
- acute bacterial prostatitis
-
chronic prostatitis
- chronic bacterial prostatitis
- chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS)
- asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis
- granulomatous prostatitis
- emphysematous prostatitis
- prostatic abscess
-
prostatitis
- benign prostatic hypertrophy
- cystic lesions of the prostate
- prostatic calcification
- prostatic infarction
- testes
-
unilateral testicular lesion
- testicular torsion
- orchitis
- testicular trauma
-
germ cell tumors of the testis
- testicular seminoma
-
non seminomatous germ cell tumors
- mixed germ cell tumor
- yolk sac tumor (endodermal sinus tumor)
- embryonal cell carcinoma
- choriocarcinoma
- testicular teratoma
- testicular epidermoid (teratoma with ectodermal elements only)
- burned out testis tumor
- sex cord / stromal tumors of the testis
- testicular cyst
- testicular lymphoma
- bilateral testicular lesion
- paratesticular lesions
- epididymis
- other
- polyorchidism
- cryptorchidism
- tubular ectasia of the rete testis
- cystadenoma of the rete testis
- testicular sarcoidosis
- testicular tuberculosis
- spermatic cord
- fibrous pseudotumor of the scrotum
- scrotal leiomyosarcoma
- testicular adrenal rest tumors (TARTs)
- tunica vaginalis testis mesothelioma
- splenogonadal fusion
- testicular vasculitis
- abnormal testicular Doppler flow (differential)
-
unilateral testicular lesion
- penis
- prostate gland
- KUB
- kidneys
- normal renal anatomy
- hydronephrosis
- urolithiasis
- renal masses
- renal cystic disease
- renal infection
- vascular
- trauma
- ureter
- normal ureter anatomy
- ureteral stricture
- ureteral dilatation
- ureteral anomalies
- ureteral tumors
- ureteral trauma
- other
- bladder
- kidneys
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.