dorsal nerve of the clitoris

{{Short description|Terminal branch of pudendal nerve}}

{{Infobox nerve

| Name = Dorsal nerve of clitoris

| Latin = nervus dorsalis clitoridis

| Image = McKay 1909 3.png

| Caption = 1, Suspensory ligaments of clitoris; 2, glans clitoridis; 3, posterior superficial perineal nerve; 4, fascia lata; 5, inferior pudendal nerve; 6, sphincter vaginal muscle; 7, erector clitoridis muscle; 8, superficial perineal artery; 9, transverse perineal artery; 10, obturator fascia; 11, anterior superficial perineal nerve; 12, anal fascia; 13, deep layer of superficial fascia; 14, external sphincter ani muscle; 15, dorsal nerve of clitoris; 16, internal pudic artery; 17, perineal

| Image2 =

| Caption2 =

| Innervates = Clitoris

| BranchFrom = Pudendal nerve

| BranchTo =

}}

The dorsal nerve of the clitoris is a nerve in females that branches off the pudendal nerve{{Cite book|last1=de Groat|first1=William C.|chapter-url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780444632470000055|title=Handbook of Clinical Neurology|last2=Yoshimura|first2=Naoki|publisher=Elsevier|year=2015|isbn=978-0-444-63247-0|volume=130|page=65|language=en|chapter=5 - Anatomy and physiology of the lower urinary tract|doi=10.1016/B978-0-444-63247-0.00005-5|pmid=26003239 |issn=0072-9752}} to innervate the clitoris. The nerve is important for female sexual pleasure,{{Cite journal|last1=Ginger|first1=Van Anh T.|last2=Cold|first2=Christopher J.|last3=Yang|first3=Claire C.|date=2011-02-04|title=Surgical anatomy of the dorsal nerve of the clitoris|journal=Neurourology and Urodynamics|language=en|volume=30|issue=3|pages=412–416|doi=10.1002/nau.20996|pmid=21298720|s2cid=22501531|issn=0733-2467}} and it may play a role in clitoral erections.{{cite journal|last1=Yucel|first1=S|last2=De Souza A|first2=Jr|last3=Baskin|first3=LS|title=Neuroanatomy of the human female lower urogenital tract.|journal=The Journal of Urology|date=July 2004|volume=172|issue=1|pages=191–5|doi=10.1097/01.ju.0000128704.51870.87|pmid=15201770}}

It travels from below the inferior pubic ramus{{cite journal |last1=C |first1=Achtari |last2=BJ |first2=McKenzie |last3=R |first3=Hiscock |last4=A |first4=Rosamilia |last5=L |first5=Schierlitz |last6=CA |first6=Briggs |last7=PL |first7=Dwyer |title=Anatomical study of the obturator foramen and dorsal nerve of the clitoris and their relationship to minimally invasive slings |journal=International Urogynecology Journal |date=June 2006 |volume=17 |issue=4 |pages=330–334 |doi=10.1007/s00192-005-0004-7 |pmid=16211316 |s2cid=21070405 |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00192-005-0004-7 |url-access=subscription }} to the suspensory ligament of the clitoris. At its thickest, the DNC is {{convert|2|mm|in|abbr=on}} in diameter, visible to the naked eye during dissection. The DNC splits into two nerve branches on either side of the midline, closely following the crura of the clitoris.

Some surgeries—for example, sling surgeries to treat female urinary incontinence—can damage the DNC, causing a loss of sensation in the clitoris. Understanding the nerve is important for urologists and gynecologists who may operate on organs near the DNC.{{cite journal |last1=van der Walt |first1=Sonè |last2=van Wijk |first2=Frans J |last3=Abdool |first3=Zeelha |last4=Oettlé |first4=Anna C |title=The dorsal nerve of the clitoris in relation to urinary incontinence sling procedures |journal=International Urogynecological Journal |date=January 2017 |volume=28 |issue=1 |pages=119–123 |doi=10.1007/s00192-016-3086-5|pmid=27549222 |hdl=2263/57007 |s2cid=12301185 |hdl-access=free }}

The dorsal nerve of the clitoris is analogous to the dorsal nerve of the penis in males.{{cite journal |last1=Šedý |first1=Jiří |last2=Naňka |first2=Ondřej |last3=Belisová |first3=Marta |last4=Walro |first4=Jon M |last5=Jarolím |first5=Ladislav |title=Sulcus nervi dorsalis penis/clitoridis: anatomic structure and clinical significance |journal=European Urology |date=November 2006 |volume=50 |issue=5 |pages=1079–1085 |doi=10.1016/j.eururo.2006.02.024|pmid=16519989 }} It is a terminal branch of the pudendal nerve.