Spermatic Cord - Contents of Spermatic Cord

Contents of Spermatic Cord

• Arteries: testicular artery, deferential artery, cremasteric artery
• Nerves: nerve to cremaster (genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve), testicular nerves (sympathetic nerves)
• Vas deferens (ductus deferens)
• pampiniform plexus
• Lymphatic vessels
• Tunica vaginalis (remains of the processus vaginalis)

The pampiniform plexus, testicular artery, artery of the ductus deferens, lymphatic vessels, testicular nerves, and ductus deferens all run deep to the internal spermatic fascia. The genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve, cremasteric artery, and ilioinguinal nerve all run on the superficial surface of the external spermatic fascia.

The classic and memorable description of the contents of spermatic cord in the male are:

• 3 arteries: cremasteric artery, deferential artery, testicular artery;
• 3 nerves: genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve (L1/2), autonomic and visceral afferent fibres, ilioinguinal nerve (N.B. outside spermatic cord but travels next to it)
• 3 fascial layers: external spermatic, cremasteric, and internal spermatic fascia;
• 3 other structures: pampiniform plexus, vas deferens (ductus deferens), testicular lymphatics;