Sacral splanchnic nerves are

splanchnic nerves The splanchnic nerves are paired visceral nerves (nerves that contribute to the innervation of the internal organs), carrying fibers of the autonomic nervous system ( visceral efferent fibers) as well as sensory fibers from the organs ( visceral ...

that connect the

inferior hypogastric plexus The inferior hypogastric plexus (pelvic plexus in some texts) is a network () of nerves that supplies the organs of the pelvic cavity. The inferior hypogastric plexus gives rise to the prostatic plexus in males and the uterovaginal plexus in female ...

to the

sympathetic trunk The sympathetic trunks (sympathetic chain, gangliated cord) are a paired bundle of nerve fibers that run from the base of the skull to the coccyx. They are a major component of the sympathetic nervous system. Structure The sympathetic trunk lies j ...

in the pelvis.

Structure

The sacral sympathetic nerves arise from the sacral part of the

, emerging anteriorly from the ganglia. They travel to their corresponding side's

, where the preganglionic nerve fibers synapse with the postganglionic sympathetic neurons, whose fibers ascend to the

superior hypogastric plexus The superior hypogastric plexus (in older texts, hypogastric plexus or presacral nerve) is a plexus of nerves situated on the vertebral bodies anterior to the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta. Structure From the plexus, sympathetic fibers are ca ...

, the aortic plexus and the

inferior mesenteric plexus The inferior mesenteric plexus is derived chiefly from the aortic plexus. It surrounds the inferior mesenteric artery, and divides into a number of secondary plexuses, which are distributed to all the parts supplied by the artery, viz., the left ...

, where they are distributed to the

anal canal The anal canal is the part that connects the rectum to the anus, located below the level of the pelvic diaphragm. It is located within the anal triangle of the perineum, between the right and left ischioanal fossa. As the final functional seg ...

. From the

, they also innervate pelvic organs and vessels. The sacral sympathetic nerves contain a mix of preganglionic and postganglionic sympathetic fibers, but mostly preganglionic. They also contain general visceral afferent fibers. They are found in the same region as the

pelvic splanchnic nerves Pelvic splanchnic nerves or nervi erigentes are splanchnic nerves that arise from sacral spinal nerves S2, S3, S4 to provide parasympathetic innervation to the organs of the pelvic cavity. Structure The pelvic splanchnic nerves arise from t ...

, which arise from the sacral spinal nerves to provide parasympathetic fibers to the

External links

* - "The Male Pelvis: The Posterolateral Pelvic Wall" * Nerves {{neuroanatomy-stub

Structure

See also

External links