Inferior epigastric artery
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Rivindi Gunasena had no recorded disclosures.
View Rivindi Gunasena's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had the following disclosures:
- Philips Australia, Paid speaker at Philips Spectral CT events (ongoing)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosures- Inferior epigastric arteries
- deep inferior epigastric artery
The inferior epigastric artery arises from the external iliac artery and is an important artery supplying the anterior abdominal wall. If a superficial inferior epigastric artery is present, as seen in about two-thirds of cases, then the inferior epigastric artery is referred to as the deep inferior epigastric artery.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
origin: from the medial wall of the distal external iliac artery just superior to the inguinal ligament
course: it ascends in an oblique path passing along the medial border of the deep inguinal ring, it then punctures the transversalis fascia and ascends to enter the rectus sheath just beneath the arcuate line although this is variable
termination: anastomoses with the superior epigastric artery above the umbilicus
-
branches: cremasteric artery, pubic branch and muscular branches
muscular branches vary in number and course - these are important in the planning of DIEP flaps
supply: rectus abdominis muscle; deep abdominal wall of the pubic and lower umbilical regions
relations: is accompanied by the inferior epigastric vein or veins and is crossed by the ductus deferens or round ligament of the uterus
Variant anatomy
can arise beneath the inguinal ligament from the common femoral artery or profunda femoris artery
can arise from a common trunk with the obturator artery arising from the external iliac artery
can be doubled
can rarely arise from the obturator artery
corona mortis: anastomosis with the obturator artery
Related pathology
Quiz questions
References
- 1. Jakubowicz M, Czarniawska-Grzesiñska M. Variability in origin and topography of the inferior epigastric and obturator arteries. Folia Morphol. (Warsz). 1996;55 (2): 121-6. Pubmed citation
- 2. Standring S. Gray's anatomy. Elsevier. ISBN:0808923714. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Moore KL, Dalley AF, Agur AMR. Clinically oriented anatomy. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. ISBN:0781775256. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 4. Won HS, Won HJ, Oh CS et-al. The inferior epigastric artery arising from the internal iliac artery via a common trunk with the obturator artery. Anat Cell Biol. 2012;45 (4): 285-7. doi:10.5115/acb.2012.45.4.285 - Free text at pubmed - Pubmed citation
Incoming Links
- Round ligament of the uterus
- Aortoiliac occlusive disease
- Interfoveolar ligament
- Winslow pathway
- Superior epigastric artery
- Arcuate line
- Epididymis
- Pubis
- Inguinal canal
- Direct inguinal hernia
- Superficial epigastric artery
- Deep circumflex iliac artery
- Femoral hernia
- Rectus abdominis muscle
- Rectus sheath haematoma
- Spermatic cord
- Transversus abdominis muscle
- Ductus deferens
- Umbilical artery
- Cremaster muscle
- Indirect inguinal hernia containing sigmoid colon
- Amyand hernia with undescended testis
- Femoral hernia
- Amyand hernia
- Haemorrhagic ascites from iatrogenic injury of the inferior epigastric artery
- Pantaloon hernia
- Inguinal ovarian hernia
- Canal of Nuck hernia
- Anterior thorax and abdominal wall arterial supply (Gray's illustration)
- Inguinoscrotal hernia
- Rectus sheath haematoma with active extravasation
- Femoral hernia
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