Inferior vesical artery

Last revised by Andrew Murphy on 20 May 2017

The inferior vesical artery is a branch of the anterior division of the internal iliac artery.

Some texts state it is only present in males and may be replaced by a vaginal artery in females. Note, the vaginal artery which is most commonly described, is often a branch of the uterine artery.

The inferior vesical artery arises as one of the lower branches from the anterior division of the internal iliac artery. It passes medially along the pelvic floor to the fundus of the bladder.

The inferior vesical artery branches at the fundus to give supply to the bladder fundus and trigone as well as adjacent ureters. It may give a branch named the artery to the ductus deferens, which enters the spermatic cord. The prostatic artery more commonly also arises from the inferior vesical artery.

The inferior vesical artery supplies structures it terminates in; the bladder, ureter, seminal glands, prostate and ductus deferens.

The inferior vesical artery often gives rise to the prostatic artery, although the middle rectal artery can sometimes give the prostatic artery as a branch.

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