The transverse perineal muscles (transversus perinei) are the superficial and the deep transverse perineal muscles.

Superficial transverse perineal

The superficial transverse perineal muscle (transversus superficialis perinei or Lloyd-Beanie muscle) is a narrow muscular slip, which passes more or less transversely across the perineal space in front of the anus. It arises by tendinous fibers from the inner and forepart of the

ischial tuberosity The ischial tuberosity (or tuberosity of the ischium, tuber ischiadicum), also known colloquially as the sit bones or sitz bones, or as a pair the sitting bones, is a large swelling posteriorly on the superior ramus of the ischium. It marks th ...

and, running medially, is inserted into the central tendinous point of the perineum (perineal body), joining in this situation with the muscle of the opposite side, with the

external anal sphincter The external anal sphincter (or sphincter ani externus ) is a flat plane of skeletal muscle fibers, elliptical in shape and intimately adherent to the skin surrounding the margin of the anus. Anatomy The external anal sphincter measures about 8 ...

muscle behind, and with the

bulbospongiosus muscle The bulbospongiosus muscle (bulbocavernosus in older texts) is one of the superficial muscles of the perineum. It has a slightly different origin, insertion and function in males and females. In males, it covers the bulb of the penis. In fema ...

in front. In some cases, the fibers of the deeper layer of the external anal sphincter cross over in front of the anus and are continued into this muscle. Occasionally it gives off fibers, which join with the bulbocavernosus of the same side. There are some variations: it may be absent or double, or insert into the bulbocavernosus or the external sphincter.

Deep transverse perineal

The deep transverse perineal muscle (transversus perinei profundus) lies in the

perineum The perineum in humans is the space between the anus and scrotum in the male, or between the anus and the vulva in the female. The perineum is the region of the body between the pubic symphysis (pubic arch) and the coccyx (tail bone), includi ...

, a part of the

pelvic floor The pelvic floor or pelvic diaphragm is composed of muscle fibers of the levator ani, the coccygeus muscle, and associated connective tissue which span the area underneath the pelvis. The pelvic diaphragm is a muscular partition formed by the lev ...

. It arises from the inferior rami of the ischium and runs to the

median plane The median plane also called a mid-sagittal plane is used to describe the sagittal plane as it bisects the body vertically through the midline marked by the navel, dividing the body exactly in left and right side. The term parasagittal plane is u ...

, where it interlaces in a tendinous

raphe Raphe (; from Greek ῥαφή, "seam"Liddell, H.G. & Scott, R. (1940). ''A Greek-English Lexicon. revised and augmented throughout by Sir Henry Stuart Jones. with the assistance of. Roderick McKenzie.'' Oxford: Clarendon Press.) has several diffe ...

with the other deep transverse perineal muscle of the opposite side. The deep transverse perineal muscle is innervated by the

pudendal nerve The pudendal nerve is the main nerve of the perineum. It carries sensation from the external genitalia of both sexes and the skin around the anus and perineum, as well as the motor supply to various pelvic muscles, including the male or fem ...

. The function of the muscle is fixation of the perineal body (central tendon of perineum), support of the

, expulsion of

semen Semen, also known as seminal fluid, is an organic bodily fluid created to contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads (sexual glands) and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize the female ovum. Sem ...

in males and last drops of

urine Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and in many other animals. Urine flows from the kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder. Urination results in urine being excreted from the body through the urethra. Cellular ...

in both sexes. The deep transverse perineal muscle lies in the same plane as the

urethral sphincter The urethral sphincters are two muscles used to control the exit of urine in the urinary bladder through the urethra. The two muscles are either the male or female external urethral sphincter and the internal urethral sphincter. When either of th ...

and formerly the two muscles were described together as the constrictor urethrae.

References

External links

* - "The Female Perineum: Muscles of the Superficial Perineal Pouch" * * * {{Authority control Perineum