Anatomy of the Prostate:
Nearly everyone knows that the prostate is a male-specific organ or structure and it is somewhere in the groin or genital region. Beyond that, the only common knowledge is that it can become cancerous or simply enlarged. Many people don’t know why enlargement of the prostate makes urination difficult or why cancer of it has so many complications. So, this article will discuss the anatomy of the prostate.
The prostate lies directly below the bladder. It is an endocrine tissue that is slightly larger than a walnut. It is divided into 5 separate lobes by the tubes that pass through it. There is an anterior, posterior, medial, and two lateral lobes.
The tubes that divide the prostate into lobes come from three separate structures. First, the urethra passes straight through the prostate from the bladder to the penis. The two other tubes come from the seminal vesicles lying on the back surface of the bladder. These two tubes pass through the upper back part of the prostate and join the urethra about midway through the gland. The median lobe lies between all of these tubes.
Enlargement of the segments of prostate gland, especially the median lobe, puts pressure on these tubes and their contents. Thus, when the prostate gland is enlarge it becomes difficult to urinate or supply adequate fluid from the seminal vesicles for ejaculation.
Anatomy of the Prostate:
Prostate cancer is also serious for an additional reason than complications resulting from an expanding gland. The blood supply to and from the prostate gland is very rich and cancer can metastasize easily. The blood travels from the prostate gland to the spinal vertebrae. Therefore this is the first place prostate cancer will likely metastasize.
So, the composition of the prostate gland means that any changes results in a variety of complications. Pay attention to your body and if you’re at risk, make sure you get it checked regularly.