Thieme Atlas of Anatomy

Clitoral anatomy incorrect and incomplete

The nerves and vasculature of the clitoris are missing from this major anatomy textbook, published in 2020.

1. Figure 18.2

The clitoris and clitoral hood are minimized relative to other structures. The clitoral hood is 34% of the length of the vulva on average. Please show more average dimensions. The minimization of the clitoris and clitoral hood is a problem in nearly all illustrations in Thieme. Please correct.

Figure 18.2

2. Figure 20.2

This illustration looks like female genital mutilation. There is no room for this woman to have a descending clitoral body or glans. Please correct.

Figure 20.2

3. Figure 21.8.A

In this illustration, the clitoral body is positioned incorrectly relative to the pubic bone and clitoral hood. In real life, most of the descending segment of the clitoral body is external under the clitoral hood. This can be easily felt, so there should be no confusion. It is important to acknowledge the externality of the clitoral body under the clitoral hood as it is put at , so risk during clitoral hood reductions and biopies.

Figure 21.8.A

The clitoral hood is 34% of the length of the vulva on average, so the length of the external clitoris should be about one third of the length from the top of the clitoral hood to the forchette. The pubic bone should also be lower relative to the clitoral body. Additionally, the descending segment of the clitoral body is over twice as long as the ascending segment of the clitoral body.

4. Figure 21.12.A,B

In Figure 21.12.A, the clitoris is truncated so that there is no clitoral body. The clitoral body should be shown as part of the clitoris and labeled.

In Fgure 21.12.B, the descending segment of the clitoral body is practically nonexistant. It should be included and shown as at least double the length of the ascending segment of the clitoral body.

Figure 21.12

5. Figure 21.26 and 21.27

The clitoral hood is 34% of the length of the vulva on average. This illustration should thus be adjusted to show more normative measurements.

Figure 21.26

6. Figure 21.28

This is a really great illustration of the clitoris. However, it could be improved by showing a neck or “corona” of the clitoris, so that the glans can be differentiated from the clitoral body.

Figure 21.28

7. Figure 21.29

The clitoral body and glans are minimized relative to other structures. This needs to be redone.

Figure 21.29

8. Figure 21.30

Here, nerves, vessels, and internal structure of the penis is shown. This same detail should also be shown for the clitoris. The dorsal nerves in the clitoris are every bit as large and important to sexual response as the dorsal nerves in the penis. They are clinically relevant to procedures involving the vulva. As such, they merit inclusion.

Figure 21.30

Notably, cross-sections showing this detail from the clitoris have been created for Netter, Grant, and Moore. This detail should be included in Thieme as well.

9. Figure 22.3 versus 22.5, 22.6

Why are the clitoris and vulva practically censored from these illustrations?

Figure 22.4 “Blood vessels of the male genitalia”

Figure 22.5 “Blood vessels of the female pelvis”

Figure 22.6 “Blood vessels of the female genitalia”

10. Figure 22.10 versus 22.11

The course of the nerves and vessels in the penis is included. The course of the nerves and vessels in the clitoris are not. Please correct this.

Figure 22.10

In Figure 22.11, the clitoral body is essentially missing, and so the course of the veins and arteries is not correct. Please refer to Figure 21.28 for a more correct representation of the clitoral body. Please show the course of both nerves and vessels in the clitoral body, as is done for the homologous penile shaft.

Figure 22.11

11. Please provide an MRI that includes the clitoris.

Why crop the clitoris out?

Figure 23.4

In Figure 22.6, the clitoris is visible, but not labeled. Why not label it?

Figure 22.6