Denonvilliers’ Fascia: The Prostate Border to the Outside World

Abstract

The fascial structure around the prostate has been a controversial issue for several decades, but its role in radical prostatectomy is crucial to achieving successful nerve-sparing surgery. One of the fasciae surrounding the prostate is Denonvilliers’ fascia, forming its posterior border with the rectum and enclosing along its layers several fibers of the neurovascular bundle. This review focuses on embryological and anatomical points of Denonvilliers’ fascia, aiming to provide a summary for the operating general surgeons and urologists of this area.