Arterial supply to the male pelvis

Question 1

What is the major artery supply to the male pelvis and what does it divide into?

Answer 1

• The internal iliac artery is the major artery of the pelvis originating from the bifurcation of the common iliac into the internal and external branches.

Question 2

Where does the internal iliac artery descend?

Answer 2

• The internal iliac artery will descend across the pelvic inlet and enter the pelvic cavity, at the superior border of the greater sciatic foramen it will divide into an anterior and posterior trunk.

Question 3

What does the anterior branch of the internal iliac artery supply?

Answer 3

o Pelvic viscera
o Perineum
o Gluteal region
o Thigh muscles

Question 4

What does the umbilical artery supply?

Answer 4

o Carries blood to placenta
o Becomes Medial umbilical fold – a ligament structures – passes up anterior wall towards the umbilicus – used to be umbilical artery in developing fetus
o Gives the superior vesical artery – supplies superior aspect of bladder

Question 5

What does the umbilical artery give rise to?

What does it supply?

Answer 5

• Umbilical artery gives rise to superior vesical artery (Inferior vesical artery - males only):
o Supplies the superior aspect of the bladder

Question 6

What does the obturator artery supply?

Answer 6

• Obturator artery
o Branches from anterior division of internal iliac artery – to obturator canal and through, with obturator nerve and vein, and supplies muscles of the thigh

Question 7

What does the inferior vesicle artery supply?

Answer 7

• Inferior vesical artery
o Supplies lower aspect of the bladder, prostate gland, seminal vesicles
o Also called vaginal artery in female

Question 8

What does the medial rectal artery supply?

What does this artery form?

Answer 8

• Middle rectal artery
o Travels medially to support the distal part of the rectum
o It anastomoses to form an inferior mesenteric artery (superior rectal branch) and internal pudendal artery (inferior rectal branch)

Question 9

What does the internal pudendal artery supply?

Answer 9

o All the structures of the perineum – all structures underneath the pelvic floor in perineal region
o This artery passes inferior to the piriformis muscle, with the internal pudendal vein and nerve, and out through the greater sciatic foramen with the vein and nerve. It then enters the pelvis through the lesser sciatic foramen close to the ischial spine. These structures pass through the pudendal canal (alcox canal) formed by the fascia of the obturator internus muscle.
o It also gives the dorsal artery of the penis which supplies blood to the glands of the penis// in female it’s the dorsal artery of the clitoris
o The internal pudendal will give the inferior rectal branches in the ischioanal fossa and perineal branches in the perineum