Vessel
Vesical venous plexus
Communicating veins around the bladder outlet
High-yield
Connections between pelvic and vertebral venous networks offer a potential route for tumor dissemination; they do not alone explain the site or bone-forming character of prostate metastases.
Overview
Veins around the bladder base and inferolateral wall form a communicating pelvic network. They connect with neighboring reproductive and rectal venous channels and drain mainly toward the internal iliac veins. Pressure changes can alter flow through these connections.
Reference facts
- Origin
- Collects veins from the bladder wall, base and neck into channels around its lower surfaces.
- Course
- Occupies extraperitoneal paravesical and retropubic tissues and communicates with adjacent pelvic venous plexuses.
- Branches
- Connects with prostatic or vaginal/uterine veins, rectal channels and sacral-to-vertebral venous pathways.
- Supplies
- Primarily drains the bladder and outlet, with shared communicating return from nearby pelvic organs.
- Drains to
- Mainly reaches internal iliac veins and then common iliac veins and the inferior vena cava.
Clinical correlation
Pelvic venous communications are one proposed pathway for vertebral spread of malignancy. Arterial dissemination and interactions between tumor cells and bone also matter, so a particular metastasis cannot be assigned to this route from its location alone.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the vesical venous plexus originate?
The vesical venous plexus arises from the collects veins from the bladder wall, base and neck into channels around its lower surfaces.
What does the vesical venous plexus supply?
Primarily drains the bladder and outlet, with shared communicating return from nearby pelvic organs.
Where does the vesical venous plexus drain to?
Mainly reaches internal iliac veins and then common iliac veins and the inferior vena cava.
What are the branches of the vesical venous plexus?
Branches of the vesical venous plexus include the connects with prostatic or vaginal/uterine veins, rectal channels and sacral-to-vertebral venous pathways.