The prostatic veins form a well-marked prostatic plexus which lies partly in the fascial sheath of the prostate and partly between the sheath and the prostatic capsule. It collects blood from the prostate, and (via the v. dorsalis profunda clitoridis) the corpora cavernosa of penis. It communicates with the pudendal and vesical plexuses. It is sometimes known as "Santorini's plexus", named for the Italian anatomist Giovanni Domenico Santorini.

Clinical significance

The prostatic venous plexus drains into the internal iliac vein which in turn connects with the vertebral venous plexus; this is thought to be the route of bone metastasis of prostate cancer.