Inferior gluteal artery
Encyclopedia
The inferior gluteal artery (sciatic artery), the larger of the two terminal branches of the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery
, is distributed chiefly to the buttock and back of the thigh.
It passes down on the sacral plexus
of nerves and the Piriformis, behind the internal pudendal artery
, to the lower part of the greater sciatic foramen, through which it escapes from the pelvis between the Piriformis and Coccygeus.
It then descends in the interval between the greater trochanter
of the femur
and tuberosity of the ischium, accompanied by the sciatic and posterior femoral cutaneous nerves, and covered by the Glutæus maximus, and is continued down the back of the thigh, supplying the skin, and anastomosing with branches of the perforating arteries
.
Internal iliac artery
The internal iliac artery is the main artery of the pelvis.-Structure:The internal iliac artery supplies the walls and viscera of the pelvis, the buttock, the reproductive organs, and the medial compartment of the thigh...
, is distributed chiefly to the buttock and back of the thigh.
It passes down on the sacral plexus
Sacral plexus
-External links:*...
of nerves and the Piriformis, behind the internal pudendal artery
Internal pudendal artery
The internal pudendal artery is an artery that branches off the internal iliac artery, providing blood to the external genitalia.The internal pudendal artery is the terminal branch of the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery...
, to the lower part of the greater sciatic foramen, through which it escapes from the pelvis between the Piriformis and Coccygeus.
It then descends in the interval between the greater trochanter
Greater trochanter
The greater trochanter of the femur is a large, irregular, quadrilateral eminence and a part of the skeletal system.It is directed a little lateralward and backward, and, in the adult, is about 1 cm lower than the head...
of the femur
Femur
The femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
and tuberosity of the ischium, accompanied by the sciatic and posterior femoral cutaneous nerves, and covered by the Glutæus maximus, and is continued down the back of the thigh, supplying the skin, and anastomosing with branches of the perforating arteries
Perforating arteries
The perforating arteries, usually three in number, are so named because they perforate the tendon of the Adductor magnus to reach the back of the thigh....
.