Corpus: Clitoris

The clitoris is an erectile organ that is part of the external female sexual organ (vulva). The visible part of the clitoris is located at the upper end of the labia minora pudendi.

In more recent literature, the clitoris and the vestibular bulb are also summarised under the term "bulboclitoral organ" due to their anatomical and functional relationships (2023).^[1]

The clitoris develops from the genital tubercle, which serves as the embryological anlage for the penis in men.

Overview[Bearbeiten]

The clitoris is made up of the clitoral glans (glans clitoridis), the clitoral shaft (corpus clitoridis) and the paired clitoral legs (crura clitoridis) that separate from it. It originates at the os pubis, the clitoral legs run dorsally along the lower edge of the pubic bone branches. Although only a small part is externally visible, the organ has a total extension of around 9 to 11 cm on each side.

Clitoral thighs[Bearbeiten]

The legs of the clitoris each contain a clitoral cavernous body (corpus cavernosum clitoridis), which are enveloped by the fascia clitoridis. In the corpus clitoridis they are incompletely separated from each other by the septum corporum cavernosum. The paired ischiocavernosus muscle lies on each of the clitoral thighs. The clitoris is attached to the os pubis via this and the ligamentum suspensorium clitoridis.

Glans clitoridis[Bearbeiten]

At the front end of the clitoris, the glans clitoridis protrudes between the large labia (labia majora pudendi). It has about 8,000 nerve endings on its mucous membrane, which include both free nerve endings and corpuscular mechanoreceptors, such as Vater-Pacini corpuscles. The glans clitoridis and the corpus clitoridis are covered by a small fold of skin - the praeputium clitoridis (clitoral hood) - which is formed at the commissura labiorum anterior by the lateral extensions of the labia minora.

Innervation[Bearbeiten]

The clitoris is innervated by the dorsal clitoral nerve, a branch of the pudendal nerve from the sacral plexus.

Blood supply[Bearbeiten]

The arterial supply to the clitoris is via the dorsal clitoral artery and the profunda clitoridis artery. The profunda dorsalis clitoridis vein and the superficial dorsalis clitoridis vein are responsible for venous drainage.

The corpora cavernosa clitoridis are arterial cavernous bodies that are filled with blood and swell during sexual arousal. The contraction of the ischiocavernosus muscle leads to venous compression, which prevents the outflow of blood and thus stabilises the erection of the clitoris.

The glans clitoridis is involved in the female orgasm due to its pronounced sensory innervation.

Diseases of the clitoris are generally rare. An abnormal enlargement of the clitoris is called clitoral hypertrophy. It can occur congenitally, be caused by a disorder of the androgen balance or be caused by testosterone therapy. A laceration of the clitoris during birth is referred to as a clitoral tear.

A clitoridectomy is performed on the basis of a medical indication in the case of extensive vulvar carcinomas. In some cultures, the clitoris is also injured or removed as part of female genital mutilation.

The construction of the clitoris during intimate surgery is referred to as clitoroplasty.^[2]

• Image source podcast: © Brigitte Tohm / Pexels
• Image source Flexicon quiz: © Kate Bezzubets / Unsplash

• Pauls, Anatomy of the clitoris and the female sexual response, Clinical Anatomy, 2015