External iliac artery

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Artery: External iliac artery

Bifurcation of the aorta and the right iliac arteries - side view. (External iliac artery is artery at upper left, seen splitting from common iliac artery at top.)

The relations of the femoral and abdominal inguinal rings, seen from within the abdomen. Right side. (External iliac artery is large artery at center, and inguinal ligament runs from upper right to lower left. When the artery crosses the ligament, it becomes the femoral artery.)
Latin	arteria iliaca externa
Gray's	subject #156 622
Source	common iliac arteries
Branches	femoral arteries, inferior epigastric arteries
Vein	external iliac veins
Dorlands/Elsevier	a_61/12154552

The external iliac artery is a large artery in the pelvic region that carries blood to the lower limb.

The external iliac artery is a paired artery, meaning there is one on each side of the body: a right external iliac artery and left external iliac artery.

The external iliac artery arises from the bifurcation of the common iliac artery. It travels inferiorly, anteriorly, and laterally, making its ways to the lower limb:

Branch	Description
Inferior epigastric artery	Goes upward to anastomose with superior epigastric artery (a branch of internal thoracic artery).
Deep circumflex iliac artery	Goes laterally, travelling along the iliac crest of the pelvic bone.
femoral artery	Terminal branch. When the external iliac artery passes posterior to the inguinal ligament, its name changes to femoral artery.

The external iliac artery is accompanied by the external iliac vein, which is located posterior to the artery.

[edit] Additional images

The internal mammary artery and its branches.	Dissection of side wall of pelvis showing sacral and pudendal plexuses.	Sacral plexus of the right side.	Posterior view of the anterior abdominal wall in its lower half. The peritoneum is in place, and the various cords are shining through.
The spermatic cord in the inguinal canal.	Front of abdomen, showing surface markings for arteries and inguinal canal.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Gray's s157 - "The arteries of the lower extremity"
Gray's s173 - "The veins of the lower extremity, abdomen, and pelvis"
SUNY Labs 43:12-0104 - "The Female Pelvis: The External and Internal Iliac Vessels"
SUNY Figs 43:07-05 - "Sagittal view of the internal iliac artery and its branches in the female pelvis. "
SUNY Anatomy Image 8970
Norman/Georgetown pelvis (pelvicarteries)
Hypogastric artery - thefreedictionary.com