The prostatic veins form a well-marked prostatic plexus which lies partly in the fascial sheath of the prostate and partly between the sheath and the
prostatic capsule. It collects blood from the prostate, and (via the v. dorsalis profunda clitoridis) the
corpora cavernosa of penis.
It communicates with the
pudendal and
vesical plexuses.
It is sometimes known as "''Santorini's plexus''", named for the Italian anatomist
Giovanni Domenico Santorini.
Clinical significance
The prostatic venous plexus drains into the internal iliac vein which in turn connects with the vertebral venous plexus; this is thought to be the route of
bone metastasis
Bone metastasis, or osseous metastatic disease, is a category of cancer metastases that result from primary tumor invasions into bones. Bone-originating primary tumors such as osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and Ewing sarcoma are rare; the most commo ...
of prostate cancer.
References
External links
* - "The Male Pelvis: The Prostate Gland"
Veins of the torso
Prostate
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