Superior fascia of the urogenital diaphragm

Superior fascia of the urogenital diaphragm
Coronal section of anterior part of pelvis, through the pubic arch. Seen from in front. (Superior layer labeled at bottom left.)
Median sagittal section of pelvis, showing arrangement of fasciæ. (Superior layer labeled at center left.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin	fascia diaphragmatis urogenitalis superior
Anatomical terminology

The superior fascia of the urogenital diaphragm is continuous with the obturator fascia and stretches across the pubic arch.

Structure

If the obturator fascia be traced medially after leaving the obturator internus muscle, it will be found attached by some of its deeper or anterior fibers to the inner margin of the pubic arch, while its superficial or posterior fibers pass over this attachment to become continuous with the superior fascia of the urogenital diaphragm.

Behind, this layer of the fascia is continuous with the inferior fascia and with the fascia of Colles; in front it is continuous with the fascial sheath of the prostate, and is fused with the inferior fascia to form the transverse ligament of the pelvis.

Controversy

Some sources dispute that this structure exists. However, whether this layer is real or imagined, it still serves to describe a division of the contents of the perineum in many modern anatomy resources.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 429 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

External links

• perineum at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)
• part_6/chapter_38.html: Basic Human Anatomy at Dartmouth Medical School