Patient's question:
Patient Gender:Male
Detailed Condition and Purpose of Consultation: Health Maintenance
Doctor's answer:
What is the prostate?Qicai Valley
The prostate is the largest accessory gland in males. Because it is arranged like guards in front of the bladder, it is named the "prostate."
The base of the prostate has a transverse diameter of about 4 cm, a longitudinal diameter of about 3 cm, and an anteroposterior diameter of about 2 cm, with an average weight of about 20 grams. The prostate surrounds the posterior urethra and can be divided into five lobes: the anterior lobe, the middle lobe, the posterior lobe, and the two lateral lobes. The anterior lobe is small and has no significant clinical importance; in older age, the lateral and middle lobes tend to enlarge, causing urinary difficulties; the posterior lobe is a common site for cancer. The prostate contains 30–50 acini with secretory functions, which merge into 16–32 excretory ducts, opening on both sides of the seminal colliculus in the posterior urethra. Due to its anatomical location being relatively hidden, people are not very familiar with it. When examining the prostate, doctors typically use the index finger of the right hand, wearing a rubber glove, to perform a digital rectal examination.
During a digital rectal examination, a prostate the size of a chestnut can be felt on the anterior wall of the rectum, with a smooth surface and a longitudinal central groove in the middle. Above it is the seminal vesicle, which is about the size of a peanut and relatively soft. During the examination, the doctor checks the size, hardness, smoothness of the surface, and whether there is adhesion to surrounding tissues.
Normally, the prostate secretes a slightly acidic or slightly alkaline fluid called prostatic fluid. Adult males secrete about 0.5–2.0 milliliters of prostatic fluid daily, most of which is excreted with urine. Nerve or chemical stimulation can cause a significant increase in the secretion of prostatic fluid in normal adult males. Prostatic fluid often contains sperm.