The pathology and treatment of stricture of the urethra and urinary fistulæ / by Henry Thompson.

  • Thompson, Henry, Sir, bart., 1820-1904.
Date:
1858
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The pathology and treatment of stricture of the urethra and urinary fistulæ / by Henry Thompson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

    42/498 (page 10)
    SPONGY PORTION OF URETHRA. which here forms the urethra. While the prostate gives its name to the first part, as we have seen, and the spongy erectile tissue is the origin of the term which denotes the third, the condition of the canal itself hecomes in this case the source of the nomenclature employed. And it will still he used here, as perhaps, after all, the hest, and certainly the hest understood, although, adopting the principle which holds good in the other two parts, we might substitute with advan- tage muscular * or contractile, for membranous portion. Not that contractility is absent in those, but that it is present especially in this, and constitutes, as we shall hereafter learn, the very important feature relating to this small division of the urethra. Its length is generally rather over than understated, one inch, or nearly one inch, being commonly allotted to it; three quarters is nearer the truth for the upper part, and about half or five-eighths for the lower part or floor, a difference arising from the oblique direc- tion backwards, which the erectile tissue, forming the bulb of the corpus spongiosum, takes, in passing from above downwards. Its posterior limit is formed by the apex of the prostate and posterior layer of the deep perineal fascia while the anterior layer of the same fascia corresponding with the termination of the bulb, and being continuous with its fibrous envelope, defines its anterior limit. So that the membranous portion may be regarded as the part which intervenes between these two layers of fascia,—in fact, the inter- fascial division of the urethra. It is the narrowest division of the urethra, excepting only the meatus itself, and the colour of its mucous membrane is deeper in tint than that of the prostatic part; but an extension of the white line described in the last-named division is seen in this portion to be continued along the floor. The Spongy Portion is that part of the urethra which is encircled by the erectile tissue of the corpus spongiosum, and comprehends all which is anterior to the division last described. It should be remarked that the erectile tissue entirely surrounds the canal through- out this portion, although the layer on the upper surface is thin. It is nevertheless very commonly represented as wanting on that aspect in diagrams, and even in published anatomical drawings of high reputation. Its length is much more variable than that of the other portions, being greatly increased by erection; its limit, therefore, * The term muscular was suggested by Cuvier, to denote this portion.