What region is the prostate located?
The prostate is a part of the male reproductive system, which includes the penis, prostate, seminal vesicles, and testicles. The prostate is located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is about the size of a walnut and surrounds the urethra (the tube that empties urine from the bladder).
What is the location and function of the prostate?
The prostate gland is located just below the bladder in men and surrounds the top portion of the tube that drains urine from the bladder (urethra). The prostate's primary function is to produce the fluid that nourishes and transports sperm (seminal fluid).
What is the location of the prostate in the male pelvis?
Location: The prostate lies directly inferior to the bladder and wraps around the proximal urethra in the lesser pelvis. A fibrous capsule encloses the gland, with the nerves and vascular plexus which is further surrounded by a visceral layer of pelvic fascia.
Where is the prostate located right or left?
The prostate is located within the lower pelvis. It sits just beneath the bladder and to the front of the rectum.
Can you get an erection without a prostate?
About 75% of men who undergo nerve-sparing prostatectomy or more precise forms of radiation therapy have reported successfully achieving erections after using these drugs. However, they are not for everyone, including men who take medications for angina or other heart problems and men who take alpha-blockers.
Can you live without your prostate?
The two prominent quality-of-life issues associated with living without a prostate are the loss of urinary control and the loss of erectile function.
What causes enlarged prostate?
The cause of prostate enlargement is unknown, but it's believed to be linked to hormonal changes as a man gets older. The balance of hormones in your body changes as you get older and this may cause your prostate gland to grow.
Which prostate zone has the most cancers?
Most prostate cancer develops in the zone of the prostate near the rectum (peripheral zone), which is why a digital rectal exam is a useful screening test.
What are the warning signs of prostate problems?
Problems urinating, including a slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often, especially at night. Blood in the urine or semen. Trouble getting an erection (erectile dysfunction or ED) Pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs), or other areas from cancer that has spread to bones.
What are 3 functions of the prostate gland?
The prostate has various functions. The most important is producing seminal fluid, which is a component of semen. It also plays a role in hormone production and helps regulate urine flow. Prostate problems are common, especially in older men.
What does removing the prostate do?
Simple prostatectomy provides long-term relief of urinary symptoms due to an enlarged prostate. Although it's the most invasive procedure to treat an enlarged prostate, serious complications are rare. Most men who have the procedure generally don't need any follow-up treatment for their BPH .
What happens when the prostate is removed?
Side effects of prostate surgery. The major possible side effects of radical prostatectomy are urinary incontinence (being unable to control urine) and erectile dysfunction (impotence; problems getting or keeping erections). These side effects can also occur with other forms of prostate cancer treatment.
What are the warning signs of prostate problems?
Problems urinating, including a slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often, especially at night. Blood in the urine or semen. Trouble getting an erection (erectile dysfunction or ED) Pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs), or other areas from cancer that has spread to bones.
What part of the body is responsible for letting urine out of the body?
The urethra runs through the center of the prostate, from the bladder to the penis, letting urine flow out of the body. The prostate secretes fluid that nourishes and protects sperm. During ejaculation, the prostate squeezes this fluid into the urethra, and it’s expelled with sperm as semen.
What is the best treatment for enlarged prostate?
Enlarged Prostate Treatment. Alpha-blockers: Alpha-blockers relax the muscles around the urethra in men with symptoms from an enlarged prostate. Urine then flows more freely. 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors : These medications reduce the level of a certain form of testosterone (DHT).
How many men die from prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer: It’s the most common form of cancer in men (besides skin cancer), but only one in 41 men die from prostate cancer. Surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy can be used to treat prostate cancer. Some men choose to delay treatment, which is called watchful waiting.
How do you kill prostate cancer cells?
Radioactive seed implants: Instead of radiation pointed at the prostate from outside the body, radioactive seeds can be implanted into the prostate to kill cancer cells. Cryotherapy: Cryotherapy involves killing prostate cancer cells by freezing them. Hormone therapy: Prostate cancer cells grow in response to hormones.
What is the name of the disease that causes a man to urinate?
Prostatitis: Inflammation of the prostate, sometimes caused by infection. It is typically treated with antibiotics. Enlarged prostate: Called benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH, prostate growth affects virtually all men over 50. Symptoms of difficult urination tend to increase with age.
What is the treatment for prostatitis?
Acute and chronic prostatitis: Depending on the type of prostatitis, treatment includes antibiotics, other medications, and/or surgery.
Is prostate cancer slow growing?
Watchful waiting: Since prostate cancer is often slow growing, some older men and their doctors hold off on treatment and wait to see if the cancer appears to be growing.
Where is the prostate located?
Located within the lesser pelvis just beneath the bladder and to the front of the rectum, the prostate is surrounded by a fibrous layer called a capsule. It wraps around the proximal (more central) portion of the urethra, and the seminal vesicles run above and behind this gland. 2 Its shape is cone-like, with a base surrounding the neck of the urinary bladder and an apex below the sphincter. Anatomically speaking, it consists of five distinct lobes: 1
What are the different zones of the prostate?
This gland is also considered to be divided into several different zones, including: 3 1 Central zone: This portion of the prostate surrounds the ejaculatory ducts and comprises 25% of its mass. 2 Peripheral zone: Making up 70% of this organ, this zone surrounds a majority of the central zone, while also wrapping around a portion of the prostatic urethra. 3 Transition zone: This smaller portion—representing 5% encircles the part of the urethra between the urinary bladder and verumontanum, a structure towards the floor of the urethra.
What is the most common condition that arises with the prostate gland?
One of the most common issues that arise with this gland is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This condition is especially common in older people. It is characterized by an enlarged prostate.
How many lobes are there in the prostate?
Anatomically speaking, it consists of five distinct lobes: 1 . Anterior lobe: This front portion, positioned right in front of the urethra, consists of fibromuscular—rather than glandular—tissue. Median lobe: A cone-shaped portion of the prostate, the median lobe sits between the two ejaculatory ducts (which deliver sperm to the seminal vesicles) ...
What is the function of the sperm gland?
Primarily, this gland serves the function of secreting fluid that nourishes sperm and keeps it safe. 1
Why is PSA important?
These functions are essential for the process of conception. PSA plays a vital role in male fertility. That's because it helps increase the motility of sperm .
Why is PSA important for conception?
These functions are essential for the process of conception, and PSA plays a particularly important role in male fertility, as it helps increase motility of sperm.
Where is the prostate located?
The prostate is a small muscular gland located inferior to the urinary bladder in the pelvic body cavity. It is shaped like a rounded cone or a funnel with its base pointed superiorly toward the urinary bladder. The prostate surrounds the urethra as it exits the bladder and merges with the ductus deferens at the ejaculatory duct.
Which tissue forms the outermost layer of the prostate?
The collagen fibers of the tissue provide strength to the tissue while the smooth muscle permits the tissue to contract to expel fluids. Fibromuscular tissue forms the outermost layer of the prostate and the tissue surrounding the urethra.
What are the two types of tissue in the prostate?
The prostate contains two main types of tissue: exocrine glandular tissue and fibromuscular tissue. Exocrine glandular tissue in the prostate is epithelial tissue specialized for the secretion of the components of semen. Most of the prostate is made of exocrine glandular tissue, as the prostate’s primary function is the production of semen.
How does a man's prostate work?
Urine released from the urinary bladder is carried by the urethra to the body’s exterior. Under normal conditions, urine in the urethra passes through the prostate with no complications whatsoever. The prostate enlarges slowly throughout a man’s lifetime, potentially leading to the restriction or blockage of the urethra by the time a man reaches his fifties or sixties. An enlarged prostate can lead to difficulty urinating or eventually even an inability to urinate. There are many treatments for an enlarged prostate including medications, lifestyle changes, and prostatectomy, the surgical removal of the prostate.
What is the function of the prostate?
Most of the prostate is made of exocrine glandular tissue, as the prostate’s primary function is the production of semen. Fibromuscular tissue is a mixture of smooth muscle tissue and dense irregular connective tissue containing many collagen fibers.
What are the two lobes of the prostate?
Several distinct lobes make up the structure of the prostate: On the anterior end of the prostate are the two lateral lobes, which are rounded and shaped like orange slices when viewed in a transverse section. The lateral lobes are the largest lobes and meet at the midline of the prostate.
Which lobe of the prostate is the ejaculatory duct?
The fibromuscular tissue of the anterior lobe contracts to expel semen during ejaculation. The median lobe is found just posterior to the urethra along the midline of the prostate. The median lobe contains the ejaculatory ducts of the prostate. The posterior lobe forms a thin layer of tissue posterior to the median lobe and the lateral lobes.
How much does a prostate weigh?
It is approximately the size of a small kiwifruit or a large walnut. A normal prostate weighs between 20 and 30 grams, while an enlarged prostate can weigh up to 100 grams.
What system secretes milky semen?
It is classified as being part of the exocrine system. This system secretes fluids for external functions of the body. The prostate secretes a milky substance that makes up around 20 to 30 percent of semen. It also has muscles that help to expel the semen during ejaculation.
Where is the central zone of the prostate?
The central zone is located deep in the rear upper half of the prostate and surrounds the ejaculatory duct. The ejaculatory duct connects the seminal vesicles and ampulla to the urethra.
What is the size of a prostate gland?
The prostate is a small gland, about the size of a walnut that sits at the base of the bladder. It weighs about an ounce (25-30g). It actually looks a little bit like an upside down, flattened cone. The wider portion called the base actually points upwards while the tapered portion that points downwards is called the apex. The urethra exits the bladder and enters the base of the prostate where it passes through the prostate and exits at the apex before continuing then on out through the penis.
What is the pouch in between the ejaculatory ducts?
In between the ejaculatory duct openings is a pouch called the prostatic utricle. The prostatic utricle is left over from fetal development from the collapsed Mullerian ducts. Since the Mullerian ducts form the vagina in women, this small indentation in the prostate is sometimes called the male vagina.
What is the transitional zone of the prostate?
The transitional zone is a small zone in the center of the prostate that surrounds the urethra in the upper half of the prostate and supports the periurethral zone.
What is the prostatic capsule?
The prostate is also made up of different zones – or layers from the inside to the out. The prostate is surrounded by layers of facia and smooth muscle called the prostatic capsule. The prostatic capsule helps the prostate contract during the emission phase of ejaculation. See a cut side view of the prostate below.
Where does the urethra exit?
The urethra exits the bladder and enters the base of the prostate where it passes through the prostate and exits at the apex before continuing then on out through the penis. One of the roles of the prostate is to create prostatic fluid. Prostatic fluid is a thick, semi-clear to light yellow fluid, not white.
Where is the fibromuscular zone?
The fibromuscular zone sits mostly towards the front of the prostate (although the prostatic capsule that surrounds the entire prostate is an extension of this zone). As the name suggests, this zone is made up of fibers and smooth muscles. These muscles contract during ejaculation.
What is the function of the prostate?
The prostate is a walnut-sized organ in males that plays a major role in the production of semen. The easiest way to access the prostate is by way of an index finger carefully inserted into the rectum.
How to feel prostate?
Your middle knuckle will probably enter your rectum before your fingertip reaches your prostate. On contact, the prostate should feel soft and smooth, and you may feel a brief sensation like you need to urinate.
What test is done for prostate cancer?
If you’re having prostate problems, and especially if you have possible symptoms of prostate cancer, your primary care doctor or urologist will likely conduct a digital rectal exam (DRE), a PSA blood test, or both. From there, they may recommend ultrasounds, CT scans, and/or prostate biopsies to achieve a diagnosis. While you should be an active participant in making your healthcare decisions, do not take expert medical advice lightly. [13]
What does it mean when your prostate is enlarged?
In some cases, the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate may indicate other prostate problems, such as infections, chronic prostatitis (prostate pain), or cancer. These conditions are often more serious than BPH/BPE alone, so keep an eye out for the following symptoms (in addition to those for BPH/BPE):
How to get rid of prostate scab?
Withdraw your finger slowly and discard the glove. When you’re finished accessing your prostate, take your time sliding your finger out of your rectum. Once it’s out, grasp the base of the glove with your other hand and pull it off so it ends up inside-out. Toss the glove in the trash and wash your hands.
How long does it take for a doctor to feel your prostate?
During a DRE, a medical professional will gently feel your prostate for about 5-10 seconds, checking for any bumps, growths, or unusual elements.
Is DRE a good test for prostate cancer?
Some studies indicate that the DRE isn’t a perfect test for prostate cancer since it can be difficult to reach the front side of the prostate, but many experts argue it is still a valuable test. In some cases, even if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, your medical team may advise a “watch and wait” approach.
