Inferior epigastric artery
- Philips Australia, Paid speaker at Philips Spectral CT events (ongoing)
Updates to Article Attributes
The inferior epigastric artery arises from the external iliac artery and is an important artery supplying the anterior abdominal wall. If a superficial inferior epigastric artery is present, as seen in about two-thirds of cases, then the inferior epigastric artery is referred to as the deep inferior epigastric artery.
Gross anatomy
origin: from the medial wall of the distal external iliac artery just superior to the inguinal ligament
course: it ascends in an oblique path passing along the medial border of the deep inguinal ring, it then punctures the transversalis fascia and ascends to enter the rectus sheath just beneath the arcuate line although this is variable
termination: anastomoses with the superior epigastric artery above the umbilicus
-
branches: cremasteric artery, pubic branch and muscular branches
muscular branches vary in number and course - these are important in the planning of DIEP flaps
supply: rectus abdominis muscle; deep abdominal wall of the pubic and lower umbilical regions
relations: is accompanied by the inferior epigastric vein or veins and is crossed by the ductus deferens or round ligament of the uterus
Variant anatomy
can arise beneath the inguinal ligament from the common femoral artery or profunda femoris artery
can arise from a common trunk with the obturator artery arising from the external iliac artery
can be doubled
can rarely arise from the obturator artery
corona mortis: anastomosis with the obturator artery
Related pathology
- +<li><p><strong>origin</strong>: from the medial wall of the distal external iliac artery just superior to the <a href="/articles/inguinal-ligament">inguinal ligament</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><strong>course</strong>: it ascends in an oblique path passing along the medial border of the <a href="/articles/inguinal-canal">deep inguinal ring</a>, it then punctures the <a href="/articles/transversalis-fascia">transversalis fascia</a> and ascends to enter the <a href="/articles/rectus-sheath">rectus sheath</a> just beneath the <a href="/articles/arcuate-line">arcuate line</a> although this is variable</p></li>
- +<li><p><strong>termination</strong>: anastomoses with the <a href="/articles/superior-epigastric-artery-1">superior epigastric artery</a> above the <a href="/articles/umbilicus">umbilicus</a></p></li>
-<strong>origin</strong>: from the medial wall of the distal external iliac artery just superior to the <a href="/articles/inguinal-ligament">inguinal ligament</a>- +<p><strong>branches</strong>: <a href="/articles/cremasteric-artery">cremasteric artery</a>, pubic branch and muscular branches</p>
- +<ul><li><p>muscular branches vary in number and course - these are important in the planning of <a href="/articles/deep-inferior-epigastric-perforator-flap-reconstruction">DIEP flaps</a></p></li></ul>
-<li>-<strong>course</strong>: it ascends in an oblique path passing along the medial border of the <a href="/articles/inguinal-canal">deep inguinal ring</a>, it then punctures the <a href="/articles/transversalis-fascia">transversalis fascia</a> and ascends to enter the <a href="/articles/rectus-sheath">rectus sheath</a> just beneath the <a href="/articles/arcuate-line">arcuate line</a> although this is variable</li>-<li>-<strong>termination</strong>: anastomoses with the <a href="/articles/superior-epigastric-artery-1">superior epigastric artery</a> above the <a href="/articles/umbilicus">umbilicus</a>-</li>-<li>-<strong>branches</strong>: <a href="/articles/cremasteric-artery">cremasteric artery</a>, pubic branch and muscular branches<ul><li>muscular branches vary in number and course - these are important in the planning of <a href="/articles/deep-inferior-epigastric-perforator-flap-reconstruction">DIEP flaps</a>-</li></ul>-</li>-<li>-<strong>supply</strong>: <a href="/articles/rectus-abdominis-muscle">rectus abdominis muscle</a>; deep abdominal wall of the pubic and lower umbilical regions</li>-<li>-<strong>relations</strong>: is accompanied by the <a href="/articles/inferior-epigastric-vein">inferior epigastric vein</a> or veins and is crossed by the <a href="/articles/ductus-deferens">ductus deferens</a> or round ligament of the uterus</li>- +<li><p><strong>supply</strong>: <a href="/articles/rectus-abdominis-muscle">rectus abdominis muscle</a>; deep abdominal wall of the pubic and lower umbilical regions</p></li>
- +<li><p><strong>relations</strong>: is accompanied by the <a href="/articles/inferior-epigastric-vein">inferior epigastric vein</a> or veins and is crossed by the <a href="/articles/ductus-deferens">ductus deferens</a> or round ligament of the uterus</p></li>
-<li>can arise beneath the inguinal ligament from the <a href="/articles/common-femoral-artery">common femoral artery</a> or <a href="/articles/profunda-femoris-artery">profunda femoris artery</a>-</li>-<li>can arise from a common trunk with the obturator artery arising from the external iliac artery</li>-<li>can be doubled</li>-<li>can rarely arise from the <a href="/articles/obturator-artery">obturator artery</a>-</li>- +<li><p>can arise beneath the inguinal ligament from the <a href="/articles/femoral-artery">common femoral artery</a> or <a href="/articles/profunda-femoris-artery">profunda femoris artery</a></p></li>
- +<li><p>can arise from a common trunk with the obturator artery arising from the external iliac artery</p></li>
- +<li><p>can be doubled</p></li>
- +<li><p>can rarely arise from the <a href="/articles/obturator-artery">obturator artery</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/corona-mortis-1">corona mortis</a>: anastomosis with the obturator artery</p></li>
-<li><a href="/articles/inguinal-hernia">inguinal hernia</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/femoral-hernia">femoral hernia</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/corona-mortis-1">corona mortis</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/deep-inferior-epigastric-perforator-flap-reconstruction">deep inferior epigastric perforator flap reconstruction</a></li>- +<li><p><a href="/articles/inguinal-hernia">inguinal hernia</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/femoral-hernia">femoral hernia</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/deep-inferior-epigastric-perforator-flap-reconstruction">deep inferior epigastric perforator flap reconstruction</a></p></li>
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