Inferior vesical artery
Encyclopedia
The inferior vesical artery is an artery in the pelvis
that supplies the lower part of the bladder
.
. It frequently arises in common with the middle rectal artery
, and is distributed to the fundus
of the bladder
. In males, it also supplies the prostate
and the seminal vesicle
s. The branches to the prostate communicate with the corresponding vessels of the opposite side.
as the homologous structure in females.
Other texts consider it to be present in both males and females. In these contexts, the inferior vesical artery in females is a small branch of a vaginal artery.
Pelvis
In human anatomy, the pelvis is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the lower limbs .The pelvis includes several structures:...
that supplies the lower part of the bladder
Urinary bladder
The urinary bladder is the organ that collects urine excreted by the kidneys before disposal by urination. A hollow muscular, and distensible organ, the bladder sits on the pelvic floor...
.
Structure
The inferior vesical artery is a branch (direct or indirect) of the anterior division of the internal iliac arteryInternal 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...
. It frequently arises in common with the middle rectal artery
Middle rectal artery
The middle rectal artery is an artery in the pelvis that supplies blood to the rectum.-Structure:The middle rectal artery usually arises with the inferior vesical artery, a branch of the internal iliac artery...
, and is distributed to the fundus
Fundus
Fundus is an anatomical term referring to the portion of an organ opposite from its opening. Examples include:* Fundus * Fundus of gallbladder* Fundus * Fundus...
of the bladder
Urinary bladder
The urinary bladder is the organ that collects urine excreted by the kidneys before disposal by urination. A hollow muscular, and distensible organ, the bladder sits on the pelvic floor...
. In males, it also supplies the prostate
Prostate
The prostate is a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland of the male reproductive system in most mammals....
and the seminal vesicle
Seminal vesicle
The seminal vesicles or vesicular glands are a pair of simple tubular glands posteroinferior to the urinary bladder of male mammals...
s. The branches to the prostate communicate with the corresponding vessels of the opposite side.
Sex
Some texts consider it to be found only in males, and cite the vaginal arteryVaginal artery
-Terminology:The vaginal artery is usually defined as a branch of the internal iliac artery.Some sources say that the vaginal artery can arise from the internal iliac artery or the uterine artery...
as the homologous structure in females.
Other texts consider it to be present in both males and females. In these contexts, the inferior vesical artery in females is a small branch of a vaginal artery.