Lymphatics of the male genitalia

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There are five main groups of lymph nodes that lymph from the external and internal male genitalia drain to: The skin of the scrotal sac, perineum, skin of the penis, cavernous bodies of the penis, glans penis, and distal spongy urethra drain into the superficial and deep inguinal lymph nodes.

The ductus deferentes, ejaculatory ducts, bulbourethral glands, seminal glands, membranous and proximal spongy urethra, as well as the prostate drain into the external iliac and internal iliac lymph nodes. The external iliac lymph nodes also receive lymph drained via the inguinal nodes. Lymph then travels to the common iliac lymph nodes.

Finally, the last major group draining the male genitalia of lymph are the lumbar or aorticocaval nodes. They drain lymph directly from the testes, epididymis, and proximal portion of the ductus deferentes while also receiving afferent vessels from the common iliac lymph nodes. Lymph then travels to the cisterna chyli.

Learn more about the lymphatics of the male genitalia in our video!

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Browse atlas

You can explore each of the lymphatic structures in detail in the gallery below.

Summary