Overview
Also known as ductus deferens. Straight thick muscular tube which conveys sperm from epididymis to ejaculatory duct.
Origin
- Continuation of the tail of the epididymis.
Course
- Ascends along medial side of epididymis, posterior to the testis
- Travels posteriorly within the spermatic cord to enter the inguinal canal via the superficial ring, lateral to the pubic tubercle
- Enters abdomen cavity via deep inguinal ring, where it is extraperitoneal
- Courses along lateral pelvic wall and pelvic floor, covered by pertioneum
- In doing so, it crosses over the external iliac artery and vein, obliterated umbilical artery and the obturator nerve, artery and vein, lying on the obturator fascia
- It then curves medially to pass between bladder and ureter then travels down back of bladder
- Inferior narrow part of ampulla joins duct from seminal vesicle to form ejaculatory duct.
Structure
- Inner layer – longitudinal smooth muscle.
- Intermediate layer – circular smooth muscles.
- Outer layer – longtitudinal smooth muscle.
Arterial Supply
Branch of the superior vesical artery (branch of the umbilical artery arising from the anterior division of the internal illiac artery)
Venous Drainage
Veins from ductus deferens join the vesical venous plexus, which drains into the internal iliac veins
- The vesical plexus envelops the lower part of the bladder and the base of the prostate and communicates with the pudendal and prostatic (Santorini) plexuses.
Lymphatic Drainage
Drains to the external and internal iliac nodes
Innervation
- Sympathethic – pelvic plexus
- Inferior hypogastric plexus.
Relations
- Posterior to bladder at terminal end
- Medial to seminal vesicle at terminal end
- Superior to prostate at terminal end.
Development
Derivative of the mesopnephric duct.
Anatomical Variants
- Artery of the ductus deferens from the inferior vesical artery, middle rectal artery, or directly from the internal iliac artery
- Agenesis of the ductus deferens (rare) – commonly associated with other urogenital abnormalities such as seminal vesicle agenesis (bilateral or unilateral) and renal agenesis
- Ductus deferens duplication
- Ductus deferens diverticulum
- Ductus deferens dystopy