Rectoprostatic fascia

Rectoprostatic fascia
Rectoprostatic fascia
Details
Identifiers
Latin	fascia rectoprostatica
TA98	A04.5.03.004M
TA2	3831
FMA	19933
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The rectoprostatic fascia (Denonvilliers' fascia) is a membranous partition at the lowest part of the rectovesical pouch. It separates the prostate and urinary bladder from the rectum.^[1] It consists of a single fibromuscular structure with several layers that are fused together and covering the seminal vesicles. It is also called Denonvilliers' fascia after French anatomist and surgeon Charles-Pierre Denonvilliers.^[2]

The structure corresponds to the rectovaginal fascia in the female. The rectoprostatic fascia also inhibits the posterior spread of prostatic adenocarcinoma; therefore invasion of the rectum is less common than is invasion of other contiguous structures.

References

^ "Dorland's Medical Dictionary". Retrieved 2007-12-11.
^ Denonvilliers' fascia at Who Named It?

Muscles and ligaments of abdomen and pelvis

Abdominal wall

Anterior/
lateral

Muscle

Fascia

Abdominal fascia panniculus adiposus Fascia of Camper Membranous layer Fascia of Scarpa Transverse fascia Interfoveolar ligament Linea alba Linea semilunaris
Inguinal	Inguinal triangle Inguinal canal Deep inguinal ring Superficial inguinal ring Intercrural fibers Crura of superficial inguinal ring Inguinal ligament Pectineal ligament Lacunar ligament Reflected ligament

Posterior

Muscle	quadratus lumborum Iliopsoas psoas major psoas minor iliacus
Fascia	Iliac fascia Iliopectineal arch

Pelvis

Muscle	levator ani iliococcygeus pubococcygeus puborectalis coccygeus rectococcygeus
Fascia	pelvic fascia Visceral Rectovaginal fascia Rectoprostatic fascia Parietal Obturator fascia Tendinous arch Piriformis fascia floor superior fascia Pubovesical ligament Puboprostatic ligament inferior fascia Anococcygeal body

Anatomy of the peritoneum and mesentery

General

Abdominal

From ventral mesentery	Lesser omentum Hepatoduodenal ligament Hepatogastric ligament Liver Coronary ligament (Left triangular ligament Right triangular ligament Hepatorenal ligament) Falciform ligament Round ligament of liver Ligamentum venosum
From dorsal mesentery	Greater omentum Gastrophrenic ligament Gastrocolic ligament Gastrosplenic ligament Mesentery Splenorenal ligament Phrenicocolic ligament Folds Umbilical folds Supravesical fossa Medial inguinal fossa Lateral umbilical fold Lateral inguinal fossa Ileocecal fold
Abdominal cavity	Greater sac Lesser sac Omental foramen
General	Cystohepatic triangle Hepatorenal recess Abdominal wall Inguinal triangle Peritoneal recesses Paracolic gutters Paramesenteric gutters

Pelvic

Uterus/ovaries	Broad ligament of the uterus Mesovarium Mesosalpinx Mesometrium) Ovarian ligament Suspensory ligament of ovary
Recesses	Female Rectouterine pouch Rectouterine fold (Uterosacral ligament) Vesicouterine pouch Ovarian fossa Paravesical fossa Retroperitonium Male Rectovesical pouch Pararectal fossa