Editing Prostate (section)

== Vasculature ==

=== Arterial Supply ===

* The blood supply to the prostate enters at the 4 and 8 o'clock positions.
* '''The prostate receives arterial blood supply from the inferior vesical artery, which is a branch of the anterior branch of the internal iliac artery'''
** After '''the inferior vesical artery''' provides small branches to the seminal vesicle and the base of the bladder and prostate, the artery '''terminates in 2 large groups of prostatic vessels:'''
*** '''Urethral vessels'''
**** Enter the prostate at the posterolateral vesicoprostatic junction and supply the vesical neck and periurethral portion of the gland.
*** '''Capsular branches'''
**** Run along the pelvic sidewall in the lateral pelvic fascia posterolateral to the prostate, providing branches that course ventrally and dorsally to supply the outer portion of the prostate.
**** '''These capsular arteries and veins are intimately associated with the branches of the pelvic plexus forming the neurovascular bundle (NVB),''' which is used as the macroscopic landmark to aid in the identification of the microscopic branches of these nerves.
* Branches from the internal pudendal artery and the middle rectal (hemorrhoidal) artery also contribute a supply to the prostate

=== Venous Drainage ===

* The veins of the prostate drain into the Santorini/periprostatic plexus
* '''The periprostatic plexus anastomoses with the deep dorsal vein of the penis and the internal iliac (hypogastric) veins'''
* '''The deep dorsal vein leaves the penis under the Buck fascia between the corpora cavernosa and penetrates the urogenital diaphragm, with the common trunk dividing into 3 major branches:'''
*# '''Superficial branch'''
*# '''Right lateral venous plexuses'''
*# '''Left lateral venous plexuses'''
** '''Superficial branch'''
*** '''The centrally located vein overlying the bladder neck and prostate'''
*** '''Lies in the retropubic fat outside the anterior prostatic fascia'''.
*** '''Travels between the puboprostatic ligaments'''
*** Easily visualized early in retropubic operations and has communicating branches over the bladder itself and into the endopelvic fascia.
** '''Right and left lateral venous plexuses'''
*** Traverse posterolaterally
*** Communicate freely with the pudendal, obturator, and vesical plexuses, which form the inferior vesical vein, which empties into the internal iliac vein.
** '''The common trunk (including deep dorsal vein complex) and lateral venous plexuses are covered by the prostatic and endopelvic/levator fascia.'''
* '''See Figure for representation of DVC in relationship to other surrounding veins'''