Inferior epigastric artery

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Artery: Inferior epigastric artery
Right inferior epigastric artery - view from inside of abdomen. (Inferior epigastric vessels labeled at upper left.)
The abdominal inguinal ring. (Inf. epigastric artery labeled at center left.)
Latin	arteria epigastrica inferior
Gray's	subject #156 623
Source	superior epigastric artery
Branches	external iliac artery
Vein	inferior epigastric vein

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In human anatomy, inferior epigastric artery refers to the artery that arises from the external iliac artery and anastomoses with the superior epigastric artery. Along its course, it is accompanied by a similarly named vein, the inferior epigastric vein.

Course

It arises from the external iliac, immediately above the inguinal ligament.

It curves forward in the subperitoneal tissue, and then ascends obliquely along the medial margin of the abdominal inguinal ring; continuing its course upward, it pierces the transversalis fascia, and, passing in front of the linea semicircularis, ascends between the Rectus abdominis and the posterior lamella of its sheath.

It finally divides into numerous branches, which anastomose, above the umbilicus, with the superior epigastric branch of the internal mammary (internal thoracic artery) and with the lower intercostal arteries.

As the inferior epigastric artery passes obliquely upward from its origin it lies along the lower and medial margins of the abdominal inguinal ring, and behind the commencement of the spermatic cord.

The vas deferens, as it leaves the spermatic cord in the male, and the round ligament of the uterus in the female, winds around the lateral and posterior aspects of the artery.

Additional images

The interfoveolar ligament, seen from in front.	The internal mammary artery and its branches.	The arteries of the pelvis.	The iliac veins.
Dissection of side wall of pelvis showing sacral and pudendal plexuses.	Posterior view of the anterior abdominal wall in its lower half. The peritoneum is in place, and the various cords are shining through.	Front of abdomen, showing surface markings for arteries and inguinal canal.

See also

• Terms for anatomical location
• Hesselbach's triangle

External link

• -1033174982 at GPnotebook
• SUNY Figs 35:04-07 - "Incisions and the contents of the rectus sheath."
• SUNY Labs 35:12-0104 - "Anterior Abdominal Wall: Blood Vessels in the Rectus sheath"
• SUNY Anatomy Image 7282
• SUNY Anatomy Image 7326
• SUNY Anatomy Image 7542
• SUNY Anatomy Image 7578
• Human anatomy at Dartmouth figures/chapter_25/25-9.HTM

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

v • d • e Arteries of torso - abdomen
AA: Anterior	celiac left gastric splenic: pancreatic branches (arteria pancreatica magna) – short gastric – left gastro-omental common hepatic: proper hepatic (cystic), right gastric, gastroduodenal (right gastro-omental, superior pancreaticoduodenal) SMA inferior pancreaticoduodenal – intestinal – ileocolic (appendicular) – right colic – middle colic IMA left colic – sigmoid – superior rectal – marginal
AA: Posterior	visceral: middle suprarenal – renal (inferior suprarenal) – testicular/ovarian parietal: inferior phrenic (superior suprarenal) – lumbar – median sacral terminal: common iliac (IIA, EIA)
IIA: Anterior	umbilical (superior vesical, to ductus deferens) – inferior vesical – middle rectal – uterine (azygos of the vagina) – vaginal – obturator (anterior branch, posterior branch) – internal pudendal (inferior rectal, perineal, artery of the urethral bulb, urethral, deep artery of the penis, dorsal artery of the penis) – inferior gluteal (accompanying of ischiadic nerve, crucial anastomosis)
IIA: Posterior	iliolumbar – lateral sacral – superior gluteal
EIA	inferior epigastric (cremasteric) – deep circumflex iliac