Seminal Vesicle (Human Anatomy): Image, Functions, Diseases and Treatments

A characteristically male component of the body is a seminal vesicle. The fluids which become semen are produced by two glands called seminal vesicles. The seminal glands or vesicular glands are other names for the vesicles. A nonprofit academic medical centre, Cleveland Clinic. Our mission is aided by the advertising on our website. We don't endorse Cleveland Clinic-exclusive goods or services.

The seminal organ's vesicles are located at the front of the rectum and behind the bladder. The tip of the vas deferens is near to the vesicles.

Seminal glands, which resemble pouches, contain blood vessels and nerves. Lymph nodes are also found nearby. Both glandular and muscular tissue can be found in the seminal glands.

The length of a typical seminal gland, also known as a seminal vesicle, is approximately 5 centimetres, or just under 2 inches. On the other hand, it is wound into a tight coil that, if stretched out, would be twice the length.

The seminal vesicle is a component of the reproductive system. The vesicles contain both muscular and glandular tissue. The muscle tissue contracts, forcing sperm and seminal fluid out of the penis and into the urethra.

The seminal vesicles collaborate with other reproductive system components. The vesicles, vas deferens, and its ampulla (sperm repository), for example, are all involved in pushing ejaculation into and out of the penis.

The estimated 50% to 80% of the volume of your semen comes from fluids that are produced in your seminal vesicles. These fluids contain ingredients that are intended to keep sperm alive as they reach the vagina.

The fluids include:

• Fructose, which gives energy.
• Prostaglandins stop the vagina from considering that sperm is an invader.
• Alkaline fluid that prevents acidic vaginal tissue from killing sperm.
• Additionally extending sperm life are clotting factors.

• Agenesis of the seminal vesicle: A congenital defect known as SV agenesis occurs when one or even both SVs are completely or partially absent. Infertility could occur from this abnormality. Patients typically show no symptoms.
• Zinner disease: The SV cysts in Zinner syndrome are accompanied by ipsilateral kidney agenesis and improper ureter insertion into the SV cyst. This is typically asymptomatic, and people only report sterility later in life.
• Hypoplastic seminal vesicles: Abnormal underdevelopment of the SVs referred to as hypoplasia. A maximum diameter of less than 50 percent of normal or 5 mm was used to identify hypoplasia. This syndrome frequently coexists with other genitourinary abnormalities, such as vas deferens absence.
• Seminal megavesicles: Giant SV cysts called seminal mega vesicles develop in those with Chronic kidney disease ( ckd) have an average SV tubule diameter of 4. 2 mm, ranged from 1. 7 to 30 mm, while those without cysts have an average SV tubule diameter of 3. 1 mm, ranged from 1. 7 to 6. 8 mm. Infertility may be a presenting symptom in patients with seminal mega vesicles.
• Hydatid cyst in the seminal vesicle: Hydatid cyst with SVs is a rare condition. Due to its vague symptoms, it could go unnoticed. Patient with echinococcal or hydatid cyst of the SVs causing urinary retention.
• Haemorrhage in a seminal vesicle: The rupture of a tiny blood artery in the SVs is the most frequent reason behind blood in the semen. One of the main symptoms following an SVs haemorrhage is hematospermia.
• Seminal vesicles hypotonic: Infertility may develop from hypotonic SVs. Diabetes-related autonomic neuropathy of the SVs, which reduces seminal fluid output, is the cause of infertility. The study found that people with diabetes for longer than 15 years had a higher rate of SV atony because of neuropathy.
• Abscess in a seminal vesicle: A rare pathology, SVs abscess is infrequently seen. It is a disease that arises on SVs as a result of viral or bacterial pathogens. Many uro-genital symptoms are seen in SVs abscess patients. After a surgical procedure, abscesses of the seminal vesicle may form as a result of infection.
• Seminal vesiculitis: Seminal vesiculitis is the medical term for the SVs' swelling. The male urogenital tract is frequently affected. Although the pathophysiology of seminal vesiculitis is uncertain, it is thought that the deficiency of semenogelin I secretion, which possesses antibacterial characteristics to prevent bacterial inflammation.
• Amyloidosis of the seminal vesicles: The accumulation of crystalline in the seminal vesicles is referred to as seminal vesicle amyloidosis. the condition known as SVs amyloidosis, which is more common in older males, is characterised by the accumulation of abnormal proteins in SVs.

The following are possible warning signs and symptoms of seminal vesicle dysfunction:

Hematospermia and other fertility issues (blood in the semen). Pain both locally and/or during ejaculation, pain or trouble in urinating (peeing), and/or a reduced volume of semen are all symptoms of this condition.

• Transrectal ultrasound of seminal vesicles: It should be the first-line method for urogenital imaging due to its low cost, high availability, reduced necessity sedatives, physiological diagnosis, and lack of radiation. It is also a minimally invasive imaging modality.
• Digital tomography of seminal vesicles: Using a sequence of planar cross-sectional scans, computed tomography (CT) creates a tri image of internal body anatomy. SVs appear as fluid-filled structures with a thin septum on contrast-enhanced CT. The most effective method for identifying various SV anomalies continues to be this one.
• Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) seminal vesicles: Another useful technique to spot SV anomalies is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Normal SVs are depicted as an extended fluid-filled structure with narrow septa utilizing weak signal intensity T1-weighted and maximum signal intensity T2-weighted images, respectively.

• Transurethral endoscopic surgery of seminal vesicles: It is a technique for treating urological conditions. Due to its efficiency, minimal risk of complications, and cost-effectiveness, transurethral incision of the prostate (TUR-P) has been the definitive treatment for individuals with seminal vesiculitis for the past 60 years.
• Laparoscopy for seminal vesicles: laparoscopic surgery appears to be the most suitable surgical treatment. Carmignani et al. described the first laparoscopic excision of a seminal vesicle cyst associated with ipsilateral renal agenesis and about 20 cases of laparoscopic excision have been reported to date.
• Radical prostatectomy of seminal vesicles: Following a recent prostate cancer diagnosis, a radical prostatectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the prostate gland, seminal vesicles, and perhaps adjacent lymph nodes. It is a possible course of treatment for men with locally advanced prostate cancer.
• Cryotherapy (also called cryosurgery ): Cancer cells in seminal vesicles can be frozen and killed using a technique called cryotherapy. Anesthesia for this kind of operation must be spinal or epidural.
• Immunotherapy: With the aid of medications, immunotherapy can help the body's immune system recognise and eradicate cancer cells more efficiently.
• Local physiotherapy combined with systemic antibiotics: Antibiotics are drugs that treat bacterial infections in humans and animals. They function by either eradicating the germs or making it difficult for bacteria to proliferate and develop.
• Chemotherapy for seminal vesicles: Chemotherapy is a medical procedure that uses strong chemicals to destroy the body's rapidly dividing cells. Chemotherapy is the main form of treatment for cancer because cancer develops and multiply far more quickly than the majority of normal cells in the body.

• Antibiotics for seminal vesicles: Antibiotics are drugs that treat infections brought on by bacteria. They function by eradicating the germs or by making it difficult for the bacteria to proliferate and flourish. Using a catheter, local agents are directly injected into the vesicle glands. Some of the examples includes Ampicillin sodium, Ticarcillin disodium, Penicillin procaine,Trimethoprim sulfa, Neomycin sulphate, Gentamicin, and Amikacin sulphate, Ciprofloxacin.
• Antiviral agents for seminal vesicles: Antiviral medications help the body fight off harmful viruses. The drugs can ease symptoms and shorten the length of a viral infection. Some of the examples are Lamivudine , Zidovudine, Tenofovir , Nevirapine , Abacavir.
• Alpha blockers for seminal vesicles: alpha blocker are commonly use for dilatation of vessels. Some of the medicines used by the physicians are Prazosin, Terazosin, Doxazosin, Alfuzosin, Silodosin, Tamsulosin.
• Nutritional supplements for seminal vesicles: It supports healthy sperm volume and quality and overall male fertility. Some of the constituents useful are Lycopene, Selenium, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Zinc, Lecithin.
• Chemotherapeutic agents for seminal vesicles: Chemotherapeutic agents can be used as an adjuvant treatment before surgery and in metastatic adenocarcinomas of the seminal vesicle. Some of the medicines are Vincristine, Actinomycin D, Cyclophosphamide , Doxorubicin, Fosfamide and Etoposide.

Things you do to keep yourself healthy in general can help your sexual organs work well. Some of these things could be giving up smoking, vaping, or other tobacco products, getting enough water and eating a healthy diet, getting to a healthy weight and trying to have safe sex. Regularly working out, getting etting enough sleep, wearing protective gear (if you play contact sports) may also help.