Subcutaneous tissue of perineum

Tela subcutanea perinei

  • Synonym: Perineal subcutaneous tissue; Perineal superficial fascia

Definition

The subcutaneous tissue of perineum (or superficial perineal fascia) is a layer of subcutaneous tissue surrounding the region of the perineal body.

The superficial fascia of this region consists of two layers, superficial and deep.

  • The superficial layer is thick, loose, areolar in texture, and contains in its meshes much adipose tissue, the amount of which varies in different subjects. In front, it is continuous with the dartos tunic of the scrotum; behind, with thesubcutaneous areolar tissue surrounding the anus; and, on either side, with the same fascia on the inner sides of the thighs. In the middle line, it is adherent to the skin on the raphe and to the deep layer of the superficial fascia.
  • The deep layer of superficial fascia (fascia of Colles) is thin, aponeurotic in structure, and of considerable strength, serving to bind down the muscles of the root of the penis.

References

This definition incorporates text from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy (20th U.S. edition of Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body, published in 1918 – from http://www.bartleby.com/107/).

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