Inferior gluteal artery

The inferior gluteal artery (sciatic artery) is the smaller of the two terminal branches of the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery. It exits the pelvis through the greater sciatic foramen. It is distributed chiefly to the buttock and the back of the thigh.

Inferior gluteal artery
Left gluteal region, showing surface markings for arteries and sciatic nerve
Internal iliac artery and branches, including inferior gluteal artery
Details
SourceInternal iliac artery
BranchesAccompanying artery of ischiadic nerve
VeinInferior gluteal veins
SuppliesGluteus maximus, piriformis and quadratus femoris muscles
Identifiers
LatinArteria glutaea inferior
TA98A12.2.15.018
TA24355
FMA18871
Anatomical terminology

Anatomy

Course

It passes down on the sacral plexus of nerves and the piriformis muscle, behind the internal pudendal artery. It passes through the lower part of the greater sciatic foramen.[1] It exits the pelvis between piriformis muscle and coccygeus muscle.

It then descends in the interval between the greater trochanter of the femur and tuberosity of the ischium. It is accompanied by the sciatic nerve and the posterior femoral cutaneous nerves, and covered by the gluteus maximus.[1] It continues down the back of the thigh, supplying the skin, and anastomosing with branches of the perforating arteries.

Additional images

See also

References

Public domain This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 620 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

  1. Hamdi, Moustapha; Gagnon, Alain R. (2009). "CHAPTER 28 - Gluteus flap". Flaps and Reconstructive Surgery. Vol. 2. Saunders (imprint). pp. 377–395. doi:10.1016/B978-0-7216-0519-7.00028-9. ISBN 978-0-7216-0519-7.


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