ABSTRACT
The corpora cavernosa contain the cavernous sinusoid tissue, a highly vascularized connective tissue responsible for the erection as it becomes filled with blood, mainly coming from the deep cavernosal artery (Figure 1.1B). These cavernosal sinuses, which are composed of trabecular smooth muscle and connective tissue, are surrounded by a heavy and strong layer of connective tissue, the tunica albuginea. The tunica albuginea has a circular inner and a longitudinal outer connective tissue structure. The longitudinal layer is absent at 6 o’clock, along the groove accommodating the corpus spongiosum. The thickness of the tunica albuginea varies from 1.5 to 3 mm. At 3 and 9 o’clock its longitudinal layer is thinnest, explaining the corporeal tears at these positions during traumatic penile fractures. Three-quarters of the tunica albuginea of the two corpora cavernosa fuse and form a common septum, with perforations allowing vascular intercommunication between the corpora. The fused part is along the penile shaft. There is no cleavage between the two corpora cavernosa, the only exception to this being in epispadias, where the two corpora cavernosa are separate entities without any vascular intercommunications. Posteriorly the two corpora cavernosa separate from each other and the corpus spongiosum to form the crura, which are attached to the inferior pubic rami and the rami of the ischium.
