medterm male reproductive system

gamete

Reproductive cell (ovum or sperm) that contains one-half of the chromosomes required to produce an offspring of the species

libido

Psychological and physical drive for sexual activity

semen

Fluid containing sperm and secretions from the prostate and other structures of the male reproductive system; also called seminal fluid

sphincter

Ringlike muscle that opens and closes a body opening to allow or restrict passage through the structure

testosterone

Androgenic hormone responsible for the development of the male sex organs, including the penis, testicles, scrotum, and prostate

testes

produce the hormone testosterone, which enables development of secondary sex characteristics, including the growth of facial and body hair, deepening of the voice, increased muscle mass, and so forth. It also plays an important role in libido.

scrotum

external sac lying behind and below penis, contains testes

seminiferous tubules

small tubes within testes that twist and coil and produce sperm (male gamete)

epididymis

Lying over the superior surface of each testis is a single, tightly coiled tube that stores sperm after it leaves seminiferous tubules. First duct through which sperm passes after its production in the testes. During ejaculation, the epididymis contracts, expelling sperm into the vas deferens

vas deferens

(seminal duct/ductus deferens), narrow tube that passes through the inguinal canal into the abdominal cavity. The vas deferens extends over the top and down the posterior surface of the bladder, where it joins the seminal vesicle.

seminal vesicle

contains nutrients that support sperm viability and produces approximately 60% of the semen (seminal fluid) that is ultimately ejaculated during sexual intercourse (coitus).

ejaculatory duct

The union of the vas deferens with the duct from the seminal vesicle

prostate gland

a triple-lobed organ fused to the base of the bladder. The prostate gland secretes a thin, alkaline substance that accounts for about 30% of seminal fluid. Its alkalinity helps protect sperm from the acidic environments of the male urethra and the female vagina.

bulbourethral (Cowper) glands

2 pea shaped structures; located below the prostate and are connected by a small duct to the urethra. The bulbourethral glands provide additional alkaline fluid that neutralizes any residual acidity in the male urethra to further assist in sperm viability.

penis

male organ of copulation. It is cylindrical and composed of erectile tissue that becomes rigid and erect upon sexual arousal. The penis encloses the urethra

urethra

expels both semen and urine from the body.

sphincter

base of bladder, closes during ejaculation, stops urine from being expelled with semen and prevents semen to enter bladder

glans penis

tip, contains a number of highly sensitive nerve endings.

urethral orifice/meatus

urine and semen exit body

prepuce

(foreskin), movable hood of skin, covers glans penis

male

andro

glans penis

balano

hidden

crypto

epididymis

epididymo

genitalia

genito

gonads/sex glands

gonado

seed

gono

scanty

oligo

testis

orcho/orchio/orchido/testo

perineum

perineo

prostate

prostato

sperm/spermatozoa

spermato/spermo

dilated vein

varico

vessel/vas deferens/duct

vaso

seminal vesicle

vesiculo

killing

cide

forming/producing/origin

genesis

condition

ism

slit/fissure

spadias

short

brachy

above/upon

epi

urology

branch of medicine concerned with the male reproductive system and urinary disorders in males and females.

stds/stis

any contagious disease acquired during sexual activity with an infected partner.

gonorrhea

caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrheae. It involves the mucosal surface of the genitourinary tract and can also involve the rectum and pharynx. This disease spreads through sexual intercourse and through orogenital and anogenital contact.

symptoms of gonorrhea

pain on urination (dysuria) and a white discharge (leukorrhea). Left untreated, the disease may infect the bladder (cystitis) and inflame joints (arthritis). In males, gonorrhea can cause epididymitis that leads to infertility or scarring inside the urethra, making urination difficult. Many women are asymptomatic; however, when symptoms are present, they include a vaginal discharge or pelvic pain.

birth impacts of gonorrhea

Scars may develop in the reproductive tubes and cause infertility. The organism can infect the eyes of the newborn during vaginal delivery, leading to blindness. As a precaution, physicians administer silver nitrate in the eyes of all newborns immediately after delivery as a preventive measure to ensure that this infection does not occur.

chlamydia

caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, is the most prevalent and one of the most damaging STIs in the United States. It is called the “silent disease” because symptoms are commonly absent or mild, and the disease remains untreated until there is irreversible damage to the reproductive structures.

symptoms of chlamydia

males produce a whitish discharge from the penis. Inflammation of epididymis (epididymitis) can cause pain and swelling in the scrotum. In women, there is a mucopurulent discharge and inflammation of the cervix uteri (cervicitis). During the birth process, chlamydia may spread to the newborn baby and cause conjunctivitis or pneumonia.

syphilis

Treponema pallidum. If left untreated, syphilis may become a chronic, infectious, multisystemic disease.

3 stages of syphilis

primary syphilis, a painless sore called a chancre, appears 3 to 90 days after exposure.

In secondary syphilis, a body rash that commonly occurs on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet appears 4 to 10 weeks after exposure. A latency period of several years usually follows when sign and symptoms are absent or very mild; however, the individual is still infectious.

Tertiary syphilis develops 3 to 15 years after exposure when the disease spreads throughout the body, especially in the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

genital herpes

hsv-2, (oral hsv-1), Genital herpes causes red, blisterlike, painful lesions in the genital area that closely resemble fever blisters or cold sores that appear on the lips and around the mouth. Fluid in the blisters in genital herpes is highly infectious and contains the active virus. However, this disease is communicable even when the blisters are not present through a phenomenon called viral shedding. In men, lesions appear on the glans, foreskin, or penile shaft. In females, lesions appear in the vaginal area, buttocks, and thighs. can spread to baby, no cure.

genital warts

condylomata, condylomas are caused by one or more of the many different human papillomavirus (HPV) strains. The warts may be very small and barely visible or may be large and appear in clusters.

HPV can spread from one person to another during skin-to-skin contact and does not require sexual activity. The warts can also spread from one part of the body to another.

In males, the lesions commonly appear on the penis or around the rectum. In females, the lesions commonly appear on the vulva, in the vagina, or on the cervix

trichomoniasis

Trichomonas vaginalis, affects males and females but symptoms are more common in females.

When symptoms are present in males, they include irritation inside the penis, mild discharge, or slight burning during urination (dysuria) or ejaculation.

In women, trichomonas causes vaginitis, urethritis, and cystitis with discomfort during urination or intercourse. Often there is a frothy, yellow-green vaginal discharge with a strong odor and irritation or itching of the vulva.

prostate cancer tests

psa and dre

prostate cancer symptoms

In early stages of prostate cancer, symptoms include dysuria, frequency of urination, loss of bladder control, and hematuria. As prostate cancer progresses, symptoms include blood in the semen, erectile dysfunction, and numbness or pain in the pelvis.

radical prostatectomy

removes the entire prostate, seminal vesicles, and surrounding lymph nodes

androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)

done because testosterone fuels growth of prostate cancer

bilateral orchiectomy/castration

removal of both testes, blocks testosterone but is permanent and irreversible

combined hormonal therapy

Drug therapy that includes antiandrogenic agents and hormones that deplete the body of testicular hormones

cryptorchidism

being born with an undescended testicle, increases likelihood of testicular cancer

tse

testicular self examination

benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

Enlargement of the prostate, commonly associated with aging, narrows the urethra and leads to urinary symptoms including frequency, hesitancy, nocturia, and urinary retention

balanitis

Inflammation of the skin covering the glans penis, caused by bacteria, fungi, or a virus

erectile dysfunction (ed)

Repeated inability to initiate or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse

hypogonadism

Decrease or lack of hormones normally produced by the gonads

hypospadias

Congenital abnormality in which the opening of the male urethra is on the undersurface of the penis instead of at its tip

peyronie disease

Condition characterized by the development of scar tissue and curvature in the penis

phimosis

Stenosis or narrowing of foreskin so that it cannot be retracted over the glans penis

phim=muzzle

priapism

Prolonged, commonly painful erection of the penis, which occurs without sexual stimulation

prostatitis

Acute or chronic inflammation of the prostate

sterility

inability to produce offspring

anorchism

Absence of one or both testicles; also called anorchia or anorchidism

epididymitis

Inflammation of the epididymis

hydrocele

Swelling of the sac surrounding the testes that is typically harmless

orchitis

Painful swelling of one or both testes, commonly associated with mumps that develop after puberty

spermatocele

Abnormal, fluid-filled sac that develops in the epididymis and may or may not contain sperm; also called spermatic cyst

testicular mass

New tissue growth that appears on one or both testes and may be malignant or benign

testicular torsion

Spontaneous twisting of a testicle within the scrotum, leading to a decrease in blood flow to the affected testicle

varicocele

Swelling and distention of veins of the spermatic cord, somewhat resembling varicose veins of the legs

digital rectal examination (DRE)

Screening test in males that evaluates the size and consistency of the prostate

prostate-specific antigen (PSA)

Blood test used to detect prostatic disorders, especially prostate cancer; also called tumor marker test

semen analysis

Test that analyzes a semen sample for volume, sperm count, motility, and morphology to evaluate fertility or verify sterilization after a vasectomy

testosterone

Blood test to measure the level of testosterone, the main sex hormone in males, to detect multiple conditions in males and females, including infertility

prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET) scan

PSMA PET scan is a highly sensitive imaging technique that uses a radiotracer pharmaceutical injected into the bloodstream followed by PET imaging to detect areas of cancer cell growth; used in the diagnosis, staging, and monitoring of prostate cancer

scrotal ultrasound (US)

Imaging procedure using sound waves to assess the contents of the scrotum, including the testicles, epididymis, and vas deferens; also called testicular ultrasound

transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) biopsy of prostate

Imaging procedure using soundwaves emitted by a probe inserted through the rectum to serve as a guide for biopsy of the prostate when prostate specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal exam (DRE) are abnormal

circumcision

Removal of the foreskin, or fold of skin covering the tip (glans) of the penis

laser of the prostate

Use of concentrated light to generate precise and intense heat to destroy excess prostate tissue, primarily for treatment of BPH

green light

Laser surgery that utilizes a high-energy green laser to vaporize and remove excess prostate tissue; also called photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP)

holmium

Laser surgery that utilizes a holmium laser to remove excess prostate tissue causing urinary obstruction; also called holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP)

thulium

Laser surgery that utilizes a thulium laser to remove excess prostate tissue that enables effective tissue ablation while minimizing thermal damage to surrounding tissue; also called thulium laser enucleation of the prostate (ThuLEP)

orchiopexy

Fixation of the testes in the scrotum

prostatectomy

Removal of all (radical) or part (simple) of the prostate

transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)

Excision of prostate tissue by inserting a special endoscope (resectoscope) through the urethra and into the bladder to remove small pieces of tissue from the prostate gland

transurethral microwave thermotherapy

Treatment for BPH that employs microwave energy to heat a specialized catheter and destroy excess prostate tissue

urethroplasty

Reconstruction of the urethra to relieve stricture or narrowing

vasectomy

Removal of all or a segment of the vas deferens for male sterilization

brachytherapy of the prostate

A type of internal radiation therapy that involves placing radioactive material directly into or near the prostate gland to deliver targeted radiation to cancer cells while sparing much of the surrounding healthy tissue

low dose rate (LDR)

Radioactive seeds that emit low levels of radiation are permanently implanted in the prostate through an incision in the perineum and remain indefinitely as the radiation gradually weakens and becomes inactive

high dose rate (HDR)

Thin catheters that deliver a high dose of radiation are placed in the prostate temporarily through an incision in the perineum and then removed after a few minutes