Bulbospongiosus muscle

Bulbospongiosus muscle
Muscles of male perineum (bulbocavernosus visible in red)
Muscles of the female perineum (bulbocavernosus visible in red)
Details
OriginMedian raphe
ArteryPerineal artery
NervePudendal nerve
ActionsIn males, empties the urethra; in females, clenches the vagina
Identifiers
Latinmusculus bulbospongiosus
TA98A09.5.02.005
TA22418
FMA19729
Anatomical terms of muscle

The bulbospongiosus muscles (in older texts bulbocavernosus and, for female muscle, constrictor cunni) are a subgroup of the superficial muscles of the perineum.[1] They have a slightly different origin, insertion and function in males and females. In males, these muscles cover the bulb of the penis, while in females, they cover the vestibular bulbs.

In both sexes, they are innervated by the deep or muscular branch of the perineal nerve, which is a branch of the pudendal nerve.

  1. ^ Maclean, Allan; Reid, Wendy (2011). "40". In Shaw, Robert (ed.). Gynaecology. Edinburgh New York: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier. pp. 599–612. ISBN 978-0-7020-3120-5; Access provided by the University of Pittsburgh{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)