Bulbourethral glands
Updates to Article Attributes
The bulbourethral glands or Cowper glands are paired small pea-sizedglands of the male reproductive tract, analogous to the female Bartholin's glands.
Gross anatomy
The bulbourethral glands arelocated in the deep perineal pouch posterolateral to the membranous portion of the male urethra and covered by the external urethral sphincter. Each gland secretes mucous during sexual arousal through individual ducts, 2.5cm in length, which descend posterolateral and parallel to the membranous urethra through the perineal membrane and corpus spongisoum of the bulb of the penis to enter the floor of the bulbar urethra.
Small un-named accessory bulbourethral glands may be found in the spongisoum of the bulb of the penis, which secrete similar fluid to the primary glands.
Blood supply
- artery of the bulb of the penis from the internal pudendal artery
- bulbourethral artery from the penile artery
Innervation
The glands are innervated by sympathetics from the lower segments of the sympathetic chain via the hypogastric nerve.
Lympahtics
Lymphatics drain from the gland to the internal and external iliac lymph nodes.
Related pathology
- Cowper duct syringocele
- bulbourethral adenitis
-<p>The <strong>bulbourethral glands </strong>or <strong>Cowper glands</strong> are paired small pea-sized glands of the male reproductive tract, analogous to the female <a title="Bartholin's glands" href="/articles/bartholins-glands">Bartholin's glands.</a></p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The bulbourethral glands are<strong> </strong>located in the <a title="Deep perineal pouch" href="/articles/deep-perineal-pouch">deep perineal pouch</a> posterolateral to the membranous portion of the <a title="Male urethra" href="/articles/male-urethra">male urethra</a> and covered by the external urethral sphincter. Each gland secretes mucous during sexual arousal through individual ducts, 2.5cm in length, which descend posterolateral and parallel to the membranous urethra through the <a title="Perineal membrane" href="/articles/perineal-membrane">perineal membrane</a> and corpus spongisoum of the bulb of the <a title="Penis" href="/articles/penis">penis</a> to enter the floor of the bulbar urethra.</p><p>Small un-named accessory bulbourethral glands may be found in the spongisoum of the bulb of the penis, which secrete similar fluid to the primary glands.</p><h4>Blood supply</h4><ul>-<li>artery of the bulb of the penis from the <a title="Internal pudendal artery" href="/articles/internal-pudendal-artery-1">internal pudendal artery</a>- +<p>The <strong>bulbourethral glands </strong>or <strong>Cowper glands</strong> are paired small pea-sized glands of the male reproductive tract, analogous to the female <a href="/articles/bartholin-glands">Bartholin glands.</a></p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The bulbourethral glands are<strong> </strong>located in the <a href="/articles/deep-perineal-pouch">deep perineal pouch</a> posterolateral to the membranous portion of the <a href="/articles/male-urethra">male urethra</a> and covered by the external urethral sphincter. Each gland secretes mucous during sexual arousal through individual ducts, 2.5cm in length, which descend posterolateral and parallel to the membranous urethra through the <a href="/articles/perineal-membrane">perineal membrane</a> and corpus spongisoum of the bulb of the <a href="/articles/penis">penis</a> to enter the floor of the bulbar urethra.</p><p>Small un-named accessory bulbourethral glands may be found in the spongisoum of the bulb of the penis, which secrete similar fluid to the primary glands.</p><h4>Blood supply</h4><ul>
- +<li>artery of the bulb of the penis from the <a href="/articles/internal-pudendal-artery-1">internal pudendal artery</a>
-</ul><h4>Innervation</h4><p>The glands are innervated by sympathetics from the lower segments of the sympathetic chain via the <a title="Hypogastric Nerves" href="/articles/hypogastric-nerves">hypogastric nerve</a>.</p><h4>Lympahtics</h4><p>Lymphatics drain from the gland to the internal and external iliac lymph nodes.</p><h4>Related pathology</h4><ul>-<li><a title="Cowper duct syringocele" href="/articles/cowper-duct-syringocele">Cowper duct syringocele</a></li>- +</ul><h4>Innervation</h4><p>The glands are innervated by sympathetics from the lower segments of the sympathetic chain via the <a href="/articles/hypogastric-nerves">hypogastric nerve</a>.</p><h4>Lympahtics</h4><p>Lymphatics drain from the gland to the internal and external iliac lymph nodes.</p><h4>Related pathology</h4><ul>
- +<li><a href="/articles/cowper-duct-syringocele">Cowper duct syringocele</a></li>
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