Testicular artery

The **testicular artery** (also called the **interior spermatic artery**, also known as the **male gonadal artery**) is an artery found in the body of man. It supplies the male genitalia (the reproductive system) anatomic structures. It carries 2/3rds of the testicular blood supply into the related structures as its function. This is more than the cremasteric artery (which supplies 1/3rd of the total blood supply) and vasal artery. The testicular artery starts at the abdominal aorta, inferior (below) the start of the renal artery. It then goes through the parietal peritoneum, going intero-laterally to (below and on the same side as), and under, the peritoneum. In this area, it goes along the psoas major towards the pelvis.

Anatomically, in the body, the right goes anterior to (in front of) the inferior vena cava but posterior (behind) the ileocolic arteries, terminal ileum (section of the ileum artery), and the middle colic artery. On the left it goes posterior to the inferior mesenteric vein, the left colic artery, and the descending colon.

There are branches of the testicular artery, which includes the inferior testicular artery. The others are still the same layer (of spermatic fascia) as branches of the testicular artery and branching happens in the inguinal canal. The amount of branching varies from person to person, like with the branches of the cremasteric vein. The inferior testicular artery branch and branches of the testicular artery supply anatomic structures in the area. The structures it supplies are the caput, corpus and cauda epididymis.

More branches come from the testicular artery as it makes its way to the scrotum. It does so at the level of the testis. The branches distribute after eventually reaching the area they are meant to go to. Before reaching its destination, branches come from it in the tunica vasculosa. This includes branching (they ramify) after they go in to (or enter) the tunica albuginea, in the mediastinum testis. In the tunica vasculosa, the branching is called ramification. The branching of the testicular artery at this level (on the same level as the testes) happens mostly in the front, middle, and lateral parts of the lower pole of the testes. The pole fixes the testis to the scrotum from the bottom (while the spermatic cord suspends or hangs it from the top). This is important to note when planning a testicular biopsy.

The other two vessels to the area supplying blood to the genitorial structures are the cremasteric artery (which supplies structures in the spermatic fascia) and the vasal artery, which is the artery to the ducts of the vas deferens (or ductus deferens) and is in the external spermatic fascia. The testicular artery is in the internal spermatic fascia. The testicular artery joins with both arteries in this area, called anastomosis. Both arteries then go to the pelvis. In the pelvis (as they enter it) they sit anterior to the genitofemoral nerves, ureters, and external iliac arteries. Both arteries enter the deep inguinal canal after the pelvis. In the inguinal canal, they travel on the same side as the spermatic cord where both arteries reach the scrotum.

The testicular artery anastomoses (joins) with other vessels in the area. Once the cremasteric artery supplies the cremasteric structures (such as the cremaster muscle) and other parts attached to the spermatic cord it anastomoses with the testicular artery. The cremasteric is a branch of the inferior epigastric artery itself, as well as the muscular and cutaneous branch, and the pubic branch. The superior vesical artery, or another related structure, the ductus deferens (which comes from (originates) the fundus of the bladder), supplies many of the branches to the bladder. Other branches supply the urethra also. However, more specifically the superior vesical artery is related to the fundus of the bladder, which the ductus deferens (or vas deferens) are near to (and originate from), because the supplied by many of the branches coming from the artery.

The pampiniform plexus of veins surrounds the testicular artery in the testis to promote heat exchange. It does this to keep the testis cool (they are 2 - 3 celsius below the Body temperature. This means that it transfers heat (allows heat exchange) between the artery and vein. This happens elsewhere in the body, where the heat from larger arteries goes to the veins, to go back to the heart. The body does this to conserve heat.

## Related pages

- Vesical artery
- Cremasteric artery (external spermatic artery)
- Rectum and the prostate

## Infobox (artery)

- **name**: Testicular artery
- **latin**: arteria testicularis
- **image**: Gray531.png
- **caption**: The abdominal aorta and its branches (internal spermatic vessels labeled at right)
- **image2**: Gray1149.png
- **caption2**: Vertical section of the testis, to show the arrangement of the ducts (internal spermatic artery labeled vertically at center)
- **branchfrom**: Abdominal aorta
- **vein**: Testicular vein