Introduction to the male pelvic cavity

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The pelvic cavity is a basin-shaped space formed by bony and musculoligamentous pelvic walls and floor. It contains several organs from the digestive, reproductive and urinary systems, some of which pass into the perineum. These include:

• Terminal part of the sigmoid colon, which continues distally as the rectum,
• A pair of seminal vesicles, ductus deferens and the prostate
• Pelvic part of the ureters and urinary bladder.

The organs are surrounded by pelvic visceral fascia and have the parietal peritoneum of the abdominal cavity reflecting onto their superior surfaces, forming pouches in between adjacent organs. The pelvic floor is formed by the levator ani and coccygeus muscles (collectively known as the pelvic diaphragm) which separate the pelvic cavity above from the perineum below.

The male pelvic cavity is supplied by various branches of the internal iliac arteries, the superior [ano]rectal artery and the median sacral artery. The organs within the pelvic cavity are innervated by various visceral plexuses that carry both sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers as well as visceral afferent fibers which generally carry pain sensation to the central nervous system.

This video will help you learn about the anatomy and contents of the male pelvic cavity.

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Browse our atlas gallery to further review the male pelvic organs you have covered so far.

Now that you have covered the male pelvic viscera, take a look at other key structures of the male pelvic cavity and their relations.

Summary