Anatomy study note · Pelvis

Internal iliac artery

The main artery of the pelvis. It arises from the common iliac artery in front of the sacroiliac joint and divides at the upper margin of the greater sciatic foramen into anterior and posterior divisions.

Key points

• Divides at the greater sciatic foramen.
• Posterior division: iliolumbar, lateral sacral, superior gluteal.
• Anterior division: umbilical (superior vesical), obturator, inferior vesical/vaginal, middle rectal, uterine, internal pudendal, inferior gluteal.
• Superior gluteal above piriformis; inferior gluteal + internal pudendal below.
• Internal iliac: 5th lumbar intersegmental.
• Artery: intima / media (smooth muscle) / adventitia.
• Most named arteries are muscular; aorta is elastic.

The full note in the atlas also covers

Branches · Histology · Development · Clinical notes

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Written from

• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 8, PDF pp. 1051–1054
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 15, PDF pp. 258–259
• BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 11, PDF pp. 197–199

More from the pelvis

• Internal iliac vein
• Levator ani
• Ligaments of the uterus
• Obturator internus
• Obturator membrane
• Obturator nerve
• Ovary
• Pelvic lymph nodes
• Piriformis
• Prostate
• Pubic symphysis
• Rectum

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