Quick Facts
Origin: Pudendal nerve (S2-S4).
Course: Runs anteriorly along ischiopubic rami, deep to the perineal membrane. It runs on the dorsum of the penis to end up in the glans penis.
Branches: None.
Supply: Skin of the shaft of the penis, urethra, and glans.
Origin
The dorsal nerve of the penis is the deepest and terminal branch of the pudendal nerve. It is synonymous with the dorsal nerve of the clitoris in females.
Course
The dorsal nerve of the penis or clitoris runs anteriorly above the internal pudendal artery along the ischiopubic ramus deep to the perineal membrane. It supplies the corpus cavernosum and accompanies the dorsal artery of the penis or clitoris between the layers of the suspensory ligament. In males, the dorsal nerve of the penis runs on the dorsum of the penis to end in the glans.
Branches
There are no named branches.
Supplied Structures
The dorsal nerve of the penis supplies the skin of the shaft of the penis (and urethra), the glans penis, and corpus cavernosum in males, while in females it innervates the clitoris (Yang and Bradley, 1998).
