Recommended Standardized Terminology Related to the Clitoris and Vestibular Bulbs Based on a Structured Medical Literature Review.

Abstract

BACKGROUND There is lack of consensus related to anatomy terminology used to describe the clitoris and vestibular bulbs. OBJECTIVE To report the current state of clitoral and vestibular bulb anatomy terminology in medical literature and compare it to Terminologia Anatomica (TA). The secondary objective is to propose standardized terminology to describe clitoral and vestibular bulb anatomy. STUDY DESIGN PubMed was searched from inception through May 19, 2025 to identify studies reporting on the anatomy of the human clitoris and vestibular bulbs. Studies were included if they had full-text versions available in English and described clitoral anatomy. Articles describing endocrinologically or surgically altered clitoral anatomy were excluded. Select textbooks containing information related to gynecologic anatomy and information collected through prior projects of the SGS Pelvic Anatomy group were also included. Terminology related to the clitoris was extracted, reviewed, and categorized. Through group consensus, categorized terms were deemed accepted, controversial (requiring further description), rejected, or proposed as new terminology. RESULTS Literature search yielded 4738 abstracts and 4 textbooks, which were supplemented with an additional 33 abstracts and 6 textbooks. Ultimately, 184 full text manuscripts and 10 textbooks were included. Six-hundred eighty-seven terms that described 22 well-defined components of the clitoris and vestibular bulbs were identified. Seven terms were categorized as controversial, 6 were rejected, and 2 new terms- clitoral-vestibular septum and clitoral root -are proposed. Regarding the vascular supply to the clitoris, 8 controversial terms were identified and 1 term was rejected. Regarding clitoral innervation, 4 terms were deemed controversial, 5 were rejected, and 1 new term is proposed- spongiosus nerve of the vestibular bulb. Eleven terms described the lymphatic drainage of the clitoris, none were deemed controversial or rejected. Expanding current TA terminology to describe the homologous female structures is recommended for the following terms: Cavernous spaces of corpora cavernosa (A09.4.01.022); Cavernous spaces of corpus spongiosum (A09.4.01.023); Trabeculae of corpora cavernosa (A09.4.01.020); Tunica albuginea of corpora cavernosa (A09.4.01.017); Tunica albuginea (A09.1.01.009). CONCLUSION Currently, terminology used to describe the anatomy of the human clitoris and vestibular bulbs varies. Adoption of standardized terminology can improve communication between anatomists, medical professionals, and learners.