Ischiocavernosus muscle

Ischiocavernosus muscle
Ischiocavernosus muscle
	Muscles of male perineum (ischiocavernosus visible at upper left)
	Muscles of the female perineum (ischiocavernosus visible at upper right)
Details
Origin	Ischial tuberosity
Insertion	Crus of penis (male) or crus of clitoris (female)
Artery	Perineal artery
Nerve	Pudendal nerve
Actions	Maintains penile erection (male) or clitoral erection (female)
Identifiers
Latin	musculus ischiocavernosus
TA98	A09.5.02.004
TA2	2417
FMA	19730
	Anatomical terms of muscle [edit on Wikidata]

The ischiocavernosus muscle (erectores penis or erector clitoridis in older texts) is a muscle just below the surface of the perineum, present in both men and women.^[1]

Structure

It arises by tendinous and fleshy fibers from the inner surface of the tuberosity of the ischium, behind the crus penis; and from the inferior pubic rami and ischium on either side of the crus.

From these points fleshy fibers succeed, and end in an aponeurosis which is inserted into the sides and under surface of the crus penis.

Function

In females, the ischiocavernosus muscle assists with clitoral erection.^[2] In males, it helps to stabilize the erect penis by compressing the crus penis and retarding the return of blood through the veins.

Additional images

Right hip bone. Internal surface.
Coronal section of anterior part of pelvis, through the pubic arch. Seen from in front.
The superficial branches of the internal pudendal artery.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 428 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

^ 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)
^ Dean O'Loughlin, Valerie; Stouter Bidle, Theresa; McKinley, Michael P. (2022). "Muscular System: Axial and Appendicular Muscles". Anatomy and Physiology: An Integrative Approach (Fourth ed.). McGraw Hill. p. 395. ISBN 9781264265411.

External links

Anatomy photo:41:11-0101 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "The Female Perineum: Muscles of the Superficial Perineal Pouch"
Anatomy figure: 41:05-01 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Muscles of the female superficial perineal pouch."
Anatomy figure: 42:04-01 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Muscles of the male superficial perineal pouch. "