Quick Facts
Origin: Common iliac artery.
Course: Travels inferiorly within pelvic cavity.
Branches: Anterior and posterior division of the internal iliac artery.
Supplied Structures: Pelvic cavity, perineum, and gluteal region.
Origin
The internal iliac artery arises at the level of the sacroiliac joint as a consequence of the bifurcation of the common iliac artery.
Course
It crosses the pelvic brim and travels in a posteroinferior direction towards the superior margin of the greater sciatic foramen.
Branches
The internal iliac artery divides into an anterior and posterior division. However, there is huge variation in the branching pattern of the internal iliac arteries and these divisions may not always be present (Tubbs et al., 2016).
Supplied Structures
The anterior division supplies the pelvic viscera, perineum, and a portion of the gluteal region, as well as the medial and adductor compartment of the thigh.
The posterior division contributes to the supply of the walls of the pelvic cavity and the lumbar and gluteal regions.
References
Tubbs, R. S., Shoja, M. M. and Loukas, M. (2016) Bergman's Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation. Wiley.
