Inferior epigastric artery

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Artery: Inferior epigastric artery

Right inferior epigastric artery - view from inside of abdomen. (Inferior epigastric vessels labeled at upper left.)

The abdominal inguinal ring. (Inf. epigastric artery labeled at center left.)
Latin	arteria epigastrica inferior
Gray's	subject #156 623
Source	external iliac artery
Branches	superior epigastric artery
Vein	inferior epigastric vein
Dorlands/Elsevier	a_61/12154222

In human anatomy, inferior epigastric artery refers to the artery that arises from the external iliac artery and anastomoses with the superior epigastric artery. Along its course, it is accompanied by a similarly named vein, the inferior epigastric vein.

1 Course
2 Additional images
3 See also
4 External links

It arises from the external iliac, immediately above the inguinal ligament.

It curves forward in the subperitoneal tissue, and then ascends obliquely along the medial margin of the abdominal inguinal ring; continuing its course upward, it pierces the transversalis fascia, and, passing in front of the linea semicircularis, ascends between the Rectus abdominis and the posterior lamella of its sheath.

It finally divides into numerous branches, which anastomose, above the umbilicus, with the superior epigastric branch of the internal mammary (internal thoracic artery) and with the lower intercostal arteries.

As the inferior epigastric artery passes obliquely upward from its origin it lies along the lower and medial margins of the abdominal inguinal ring, and behind the commencement of the spermatic cord.

The vas deferens, as it leaves the spermatic cord in the male, and the round ligament of the uterus in the female, winds around the lateral and posterior aspects of the artery.

The interfoveolar ligament, seen from in front.	The internal mammary artery and its branches.	The arteries of the pelvis.	The iliac veins.
Dissection of side wall of pelvis showing sacral and pudendal plexuses.	Posterior view of the anterior abdominal wall in its lower half. The peritoneum is in place, and the various cords are shining through.	Front of abdomen, showing surface markings for arteries and inguinal canal.

-1033174982 at GPnotebook
SUNY Figs 35:04-07 - "Incisions and the contents of the rectus sheath."
SUNY Labs 35:12-0104 - "Anterior Abdominal Wall: Blood Vessels in the Rectus sheath"
SUNY Anatomy Image 7282
SUNY Anatomy Image 7326
SUNY Anatomy Image 7542
SUNY Anatomy Image 7578
Human anatomy at Dartmouth figures/chapter_25/25-9.HTM

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

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List of arteries of torso - abdomen

AA:
Anterior

celiac	left gastric: esophageal branches splenic: pancreatic branches (greater, dorsal) – short gastric – left gastro-omental common hepatic: proper hepatic (cystic), right gastric, gastroduodenal (right gastro-omental, superior pancreaticoduodenal, supraduodenal)
SMA	inferior pancreaticoduodenal – intestinal (jejunal, ileal, arcades, vasa recta) – ileocolic (colic, anterior cecal, posterior cecal, ileal branch, appendicular) – right colic – middle colic
IMA	left colic – sigmoid – superior rectal – marginal