Internal pudendal artery
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Grace Florescu had no recorded disclosures.
View Grace Florescu's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Daniel J Bell had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures- Internal pudendal arteries
The internal pudendal artery is a branch of the anterior division of the internal iliac artery and is the primary supply of the perineum. It is a larger vessel in males than in females and is usually the smallest branch of the anterior division of the IIA.
Summary
- origin: anterior division of internal iliac artery
- location: pelvis, gluteal region, perineum
- supply: perineum, genitalia, anal region, erectile tissues
- branches: inferior rectal artery, perineal artery, artery to the bulb, deep artery of the penis/clitoris, dorsal artery of the penis/clitoris
Gross anatomy
Origin
The internal pudendal artery branches from the anterior division of the internal iliac artery, in front of the inferior gluteal artery.
Course
The vessel courses through several compartments on its way to the perineum, starting by piercing the parietal pelvic fascia to exit the pelvis. It courses through the greater sciatic foramen inferior to the piriformis muscle to enter the gluteal region and then curves around the posterior aspect of the ischial spine and sacrospinous ligament to re-enter the pelvis by passing through the lesser sciatic foramen. It then re-exits the pelvis through the pudendal canal with the internal pudendal veins and the pudendal nerve. It then runs in the lateral wall of the ischioanal fossa and the perineal region where it gives several branches.
Branches
The internal pudendal artery gives off an inferior rectal branch as it travels through the posterior part of the pudendal canal which supplies the lower rectum by anastomosing with the contralateral inferior rectal artery and the middle rectal and superior rectal arteries.
At the posterior angle of the perineal membrane the perineal artery arises which is different between females and males.
An artery to the bulb arises just after the perineal artery to enter the corpus spongiosum.
Termination
The internal pudendal artery passes medial to the ischial tuberosity to exit the pudendal canal and divides into two terminal branches at the anterior angle of the perineal membrane, the deep and dorsal arteries of the penis/clitoris.
Supply
The vessel is the primary supply of the perineum. It supplies the skin and muscles of the anal triangle and urogenital triangle, as well as associated erectile bodies. It also contributes to the supply of the rectum.
References
- 1. Last's anatomy, regional and applied. Churchill Livingstone. ISBN:044304662X. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Dalley AF, Agur AM. Clinically Oriented Anatomy, Sixth Edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN:1605476528. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Gray's Anatomy. Churchill Livingstone. (2011) ISBN:0443066841. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 4. Renan Uflacker. Atlas of Vascular Anatomy. (2007) ISBN: 9780781760812
Incoming Links
- Branches of internal iliac artery (mnemonic)
- Aortoiliac occlusive disease
- Pudendal canal
- Pelvic fractures
- Male urethra
- Penis
- Inferior gluteal artery
- Superior gluteal artery
- Inferior rectal artery
- Lesser sciatic foramen contents (mnemonic)
- Branches of anterior and posterior divisions of the internal iliac artery (mnemonic)
- Lesser sciatic foramen
- Branches of the anterior division of the internal iliac artery (mnemonic)
- Infrapiriform foramen (mnemonic)
- Inferior rectal nerve
- Levator ani muscle
- Female urethra
- Artery to the bulb
- Perineal artery
- Deep perineal pouch
Related articles: Anatomy: Abdominopelvic
- skeleton of the abdomen and pelvis
- muscles of the abdomen and pelvis
- spaces of the abdomen and pelvis
- anterior abdominal wall
- posterior abdominal wall
- abdominal cavity
- pelvic cavity
- perineum
- abdominal and pelvic viscera
- gastrointestinal tract
- spleen
- hepatobiliary system
-
endocrine system
-
adrenal gland
- adrenal vessels
- chromaffin cells
- variants
- pancreas
- organs of Zuckerkandl
-
adrenal gland
-
urinary system
-
kidney
- renal pelvis
- renal sinus
- avascular plane of Brodel
-
variants
- number
- fusion
- location
- shape
- ureter
- urinary bladder
- urethra
- embryology
-
kidney
- male reproductive system
-
female reproductive system
- vulva
- vagina
- uterus
- adnexa
- Fallopian tubes
- ovaries
- broad ligament (mnemonic)
- variant anatomy
- embryology
- blood supply of the abdomen and pelvis
- arteries
-
abdominal aorta
- inferior phrenic artery
- celiac artery
- superior mesenteric artery
- middle suprarenal artery
- renal artery (variant anatomy)
- gonadal artery (ovarian artery | testicular artery)
- inferior mesenteric artery
- lumbar arteries
- median sacral artery
-
common iliac artery
- external iliac artery
-
internal iliac artery (mnemonic)
- anterior division
- umbilical artery
- superior vesical artery
- obturator artery
- vaginal artery
- inferior vesical artery
- uterine artery
- middle rectal artery
-
internal pudendal artery
- inferior rectal artery
-
perineal artery
- posterior scrotal artery
- transverse perineal artery
- artery to the bulb
- deep artery of the penis/clitoris
- dorsal artery of the penis/clitoris
- inferior gluteal artery
- posterior division (mnemonic)
- variant anatomy
- anterior division
-
abdominal aorta
- portal venous system
- veins
- anastomoses
- arterioarterial anastomoses
- portal-systemic venous collateral pathways
- watershed areas
- arteries
- lymphatics
- innervation of the abdomen and pelvis
- thoracic splanchnic nerves
- lumbar plexus
-
sacral plexus
- lumbosacral trunk
- sciatic nerve
- superior gluteal nerve
- inferior gluteal nerve
- nerve to piriformis
- perforating cutaneous nerve
- posterior femoral cutaneous nerve
- parasympathetic pelvic splanchnic nerves
- pudendal nerve
- nerve to quadratus femoris and inferior gemellus muscles
- nerve to internal obturator and superior gemellus muscles
- autonomic ganglia and plexuses