Internal pudendal artery

Artery: Internal pudendal artery
Left gluteal region, showing surface markings for arteries and sciatic nerve.
The superficial branches of the internal pudendal artery.
Latin	arteria pudenda interna
Gray's	subject #155 617
Supplies	external genitalia, perineum
Source	internal iliac artery
Vein	Internal pudendal veins
Dorlands / Elsevier	a_61/12155618

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

The internal pudendal artery is an artery that branches off the internal iliac artery, providing blood to the external genitalia.

The internal pudendal artery is the terminal branch of the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery. It is smaller in the female than in the male.

Path

It exits the pelvic cavity through the greater sciatic foramen to enter the gluteal region.

It then curves around the sacrospinous ligament to enter the perineum through the lesser sciatic foramen.

It travels through the pudendal canal with the internal pudendal veins and the pudendal nerve.

Branches

The internal pudendal artery gives off the following branches:

In females	In males	Description
Inferior rectal artery	Inferior rectal artery	to anal canal
Perineal artery	Perineal artery	supplies transversus perinei superficialis muscle
Posterior labial branches	Posterior scrotal branches	-
Artery of bulb of vestibule	Artery of bulb of penis	supplies bulbourethral gland
Dorsal artery of clitoris	Dorsal artery of penis	-
Deep artery of clitoris	Deep artery of penis	to corpus cavernosum penis

Some sources consider the urethral artery a direct branch of the internal pudendal artery, while others consider it a branch of the perineal artery.

In males, the internal pudendal artery also gives rise to the perforating arteries of the penis.

Additional images

• 

  Right hip bone. Internal surface.

• 

  The arteries of the pelvis.

• 

  Dissection of side wall of pelvis showing sacral and pudendal plexuses.

• 

  The deeper branches of the internal pudendal artery.

• 

  Diagram of the arteries of the penis.

• 

  The penis in transverse section, showing the bloodvessels.

See also

• Pudendal nerve
• Superficial external pudendal artery
• Deep external pudendal artery

External links

• SUNY Figs 41:04-06 - "Inferior view of female perineum, branches of the internal pudendal artery."
• SUNY Figs 42:03-01 - "Branches of internal pudendal artery in the male perineum."
• SUNY Figs 43:07-14 - "Sagittal view of the internal iliac artery and its branches in the female pelvis. "
• SUNY Figs 44:06-00 - "Sagittal view of the internal iliac artery and its branches in the male pelvis. "
• SUNY Anatomy Image 9086
• Mnemonic at medicalmnemonics.com 2503
• Norman/Georgetown pelvis (pelvicarteries)
• Human anatomy at Dartmouth figures/chapter_32/32-2.HTM
• Human anatomy at Dartmouth figures/chapter_32/32-3.HTM
• Diagram at MSU