Greater sciatic foramen

Changed by Craig Hacking, 17 Feb 2021

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

The greater sciatic foramen is a large osteoligamentous foramen within the pelvis and that is a major conduit of neurovascular structures from the pelvis to the lower limb. The greater sciatic foramen is separated from the smaller lesser sciatic foramen below by the sacrospinous ligament.

Gross anatomy

Boundaries

In a clockwise fashion, its boundaries include:

Contents

Many structures enter or exit the pelvis through the greater sciatic foramen and are broadly divided based on whether they lie above or below the piriformis muscle - the suprapiriform and infrapiriform foramenforamina respectively respectively.

Suprapiriform foramen
Infrapiriform foramen
  • -<p>The<strong> greater sciatic foramen</strong> is a foramen within the <a href="/articles/pelvis-1">pelvis</a> and is a major conduit of neurovascular structures from the pelvis to the <a href="/articles/lower-limb-anatomy">lower limb</a>. The greater sciatic foramen is separated from the <a title="Lesser sciatic foramen" href="/articles/lesser-sciatic-foramen">lesser sciatic foramen </a>below by the <a title="Sacrospinous ligament" href="/articles/sacrospinous-ligament">sacrospinous ligament.</a></p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Boundaries</h5><p>In a clockwise fashion, its boundaries include:</p><ul>
  • +<p>The<strong> greater sciatic foramen</strong> is a large osteoligamentous foramen within the <a href="/articles/pelvis-1">pelvis</a> that is a major conduit of neurovascular structures from the pelvis to the <a href="/articles/lower-limb-anatomy">lower limb</a>. The greater sciatic foramen is separated from the smaller <a href="/articles/lesser-sciatic-foramen">lesser sciatic foramen </a>below by the <a href="/articles/sacrospinous-ligament">sacrospinous ligament.</a></p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Boundaries</h5><p>In a clockwise fashion, its boundaries include:</p><ul>
  • -</ul><h5>Contents</h5><p>Many structures enter or exit the pelvis through the <a href="/articles/greater-sciatic-foramen">greater sciatic foramen</a> and are broadly divided based on whether they lie above or below the <a href="/articles/piriformis-muscle-2">piriformis muscle</a> - the <strong>suprapiriform</strong> and <strong>infrapiriform foramen</strong> respectively.</p><h6>Suprapiriform foramen</h6><ul>
  • +</ul><h5>Contents</h5><p>Many structures enter or exit the pelvis through the <a href="/articles/greater-sciatic-foramen">greater sciatic foramen</a> and are broadly divided based on whether they lie above or below the <a href="/articles/piriformis-muscle-2">piriformis muscle</a> - the <strong>suprapiriform</strong> and <strong>infrapiriform foramina</strong> respectively.</p><h6>Suprapiriform foramen</h6><ul>

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