Obturator artery

Obturator artery
Artery: Obturator artery
Gray547.png
The relations of the femoral and abdominal inguinal rings, seen from within the abdomen. Right side. (Obturator artery is visible at bottom.)
Internal iliac branches.PNG
Internal iliac artery and some branches.
Latin arteria obturatoria
Gray's subject #155 616
Supplies Obturator externus muscle, medial compartment of thigh, femur
Source internal iliac artery   
Branches anterior branch, posterior branch
Vein obturator veins

The obturator artery is a branch of the internal iliac artery that passes antero-inferiorly (forwards and downwards) on the lateral wall of the pelvis, to the upper part of the obturator foramen, and, escaping from the pelvic cavity through the obturator canal, it divides into both an anterior and a posterior branch.

Contents

Inside the pelvis

In the pelvic cavity this vessel is in relation, laterally, with the obturator fascia; medially, with the ureter, ductus deferens, and peritoneum; while a little below it is the obturator nerve.

Inside the pelvis the obturator artery gives off iliac branches to the iliac fossa, which supply the bone and the Iliacus, and anastomose with the ilio-lumbar artery; a vesical branch, which runs backward to supply the bladder; and a pubic branch, which is given off from the vessel just before it leaves the pelvic cavity.

The pubic branch ascends upon the back of the pubis, communicating with the corresponding vessel of the opposite side, and with the inferior epigastric artery.

Outside the pelvis

Outside the pelvis, the obturator artery divides at the upper margin of the obturator foramen, into an anterior branch and a posterior branch which encircle the foramen under cover of the Obturator externus.

Peculiarities

Variations in origin and course of obturator artery.

The obturator artery sometimes arises from the main stem or from the posterior trunk of the internal iliac artery, or it may arise from the superior gluteal artery; occasionally it arises from the external iliac.

In about two out of every seven cases it arises from the inferior epigastric and descends almost vertically to the upper part of the obturator foramen. The artery in this course usually lies in contact with the external iliac vein, and on the lateral side of the femoral ring (Figure A on diagram); in such cases it would not be endangered in the operation for strangulated femoral hernia.

Occasionally, however, it curves along the free margin of the lacunar ligament (Figure B), and if in such circumstances a femoral hernia occurred, the vessel would almost completely encircle the neck of the hernial sac, and would be in great danger of being wounded if an operation were performed for strangulation.

Additional images

External links

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.


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  • obturator artery — n an artery that arises from the internal iliac artery or one of its branches, passes out through the obturator canal, and divides into two branches which are distributed to the muscles and fasciae of the hip and thigh * * * arteria obturatoria …   Medical dictionary

  • obturator artery — noun : an artery that passes out through the obturator canal and dividing into two branches is distributed to the muscles and fasciae of the hip and thigh …   Useful english dictionary

  • Anterior branch of the obturator artery — Infobox Artery Name = PAGENAME Latin = ramus anterior arteriae obturatoriae GraySubject = 155 GrayPage = 616 Caption = Caption2 = BranchFrom = obturator artery BranchTo = Vein = Supplies = MeshName = MeshNumber = DorlandsPre = r 02 DorlandsSuf =… …   Wikipedia

  • Posterior branch of the obturator artery — Infobox Artery Name = PAGENAME Latin = ramus posterior arteriae obturatoriae GraySubject = 155 GrayPage = 616 Caption = Caption2 = BranchFrom = obturator artery BranchTo = Vein = Supplies = MeshName = MeshNumber = DorlandsPre = r 02 DorlandsSuf …   Wikipedia

  • obturator artery accessory — arteria obturatoria accessoria …   Medical dictionary

  • Obturator externus muscle — The obturator externus and nearby hip muscles (posterior view) …   Wikipedia

  • Obturator canal — The relations of the femoral and abdominal inguinal rings, seen from within the abdomen. Right side. (Obturator canal not labeled, but visible at bottom center.) …   Wikipedia

  • Obturator vessels — can refer to: Obturator artery Obturator veins See also Obturator canal This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link …   Wikipedia

  • obturator vein — n a tributary of the internal iliac vein that accompanies the obturator artery …   Medical dictionary

  • Obturator veins — Vein: Obturator veins The veins of the right half of the male pelvis. (Obturator labeled at center left.) Latin venae obturatoriae Gray s …   Wikipedia

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