Laboratory InvestigationHuman Cadaveric Specimen Study of the Prostatic Arterial Anatomy: Implications for Arterial Embolization
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Materials and Methods
This study was performed under the ethical rules and regulations of the School of Medicine that allow dissection of human cadaveric specimens for scientific investigations. Dissection of 18 male pelves (36 hemipelves) from white adults 35–68 years old was performed in the anatomy laboratory. Anatomic dissections were performed by senior dissectors with > 10 years of experience. Each specimen required 30–45 working hours for vessel dissection and 10 additional hours for vessel painting.
The
Distal Termination
Two main arterial pedicles to the prostate from each hemipelvis were identified in all studied specimens: the superior and inferior prostatic pedicles. Their direction and distribution were constant in all pelves dissected (Fig 1).
The superior pedicle, called the prostatic artery, entered the gland in the posterior-superior sector of its lateral border in all studied cases. Before reaching the prostate, it branched to the trigone and the seminal vesicles. The superior prostatic pedicle
Discussion
The present study describes the prostatic arterial anatomy as observed in human cadaveric specimens with an emphasis on relevant findings in the context of PAE. This anatomic study revealed the main arterial supply of the prostate by the superior prostatic arterial pedicle.
Before accessing the prostate, the superior prostatic arterial pedicle provides branches to both the inferior bladder and the seminal vesicles and divides into a medial and a lateral branch. The medial branch supplies the
Acknowledgment
The authors thank Dr. Osvaldo Velan for his significant contribution of the illustrations.
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Cited by (0)
None of the authors have identified a conflict of interest.
This original contribution has obtained an Educational Award at the SIR Congress 2012 (San Francisco) and a Cum laude at RSNA 2011 (Chicago).