On the Intrinsic Blood Supply to the Prostate and Pelvic Urethra in the Dog

Abstract

SUMMARY A study was made of the intrinsic blood supply to the prostate and pelvic urethra in 35 male dogs. A series of surgical experiments was performed in 9 dogs to determine the importance of each blood vessel to the area and whether an adequate collateral blood supply could be readily established. The intrinsic arterial supply to the glandular part of the prostate follows a definite pattern in the immature, normal and hypertrophied gland. The majority of the prostatic arteries pass ventrally to the mid-ventral groove and give off smaller radial arteries which pass towards the urethra in the glandular septa. The arteries to the urethra follow a similar pattern. The blood supply to the tissue around the urethral lumen, the stratum vasculare and its prostatic continuation, is carried, to a great extent, by the artery of the urethral bulb. The veins of prostate and urethra form a branching network which radiates from the cavernous tissue of the urethral lumen through the glandular tissue to form a subcapsular venous plexus and passes thence to the prostatic or urethral veins. When all major arteries to the area were tied off a collateral circulation was rapidly established. The main contribution came from the anastomoses of the prostatic vessels with the haemorrhoidal vessels.