Viscera (heart, lungs, liver, gastrointestinal tract)
Prostate gland
Prostata
- Origin
- Fibromuscular and glandular organ situated immediately inferior to the bladder neck, encircling the prostatic urethra
- Insertion
- Rests on the pelvic diaphragm and lies directly anterior to the rectum (separated by Denonvilliers' fascia)
- Function
- Produces alkaline prostatic fluid (~30% of semen volume, containing PSA and acid phosphatase) that liquefies seminal coagulum and enhances sperm motility
- Innervation
- Prostatic plexus (parasympathetic S2-S4 driving secretion and cavernous nerves for erection; sympathetic T11-L2 mediating ejaculation)
- Movement & chain
- Smooth muscle contraction during ejaculation
- Palpation
- Digital rectal examination (DRE) assessing size, symmetry, consistency, median sulcus, and firmness/nodules
- Clinical
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH in the transition zone causing lower urinary tract symptoms/LUTS), prostate adenocarcinoma (predominantly in peripheral zone), acute bacterial prostatitis.
- Segmental innervation
- S2-S4 and T11-L2 levels
- In clinical practice
- DRE screening assistance, serum PSA interpretation, IPSS symptom scoring, continuous bladder irrigation (CBI) monitoring post-TURP
- Region in the model
- Viscera (heart, lungs, liver, gastrointestinal tract)