Internal pudendal artery
Encyclopedia
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
. It is smaller in the female
than in the male
.
through the greater sciatic foramen
to enter the gluteal region.
It then curves around the sacrospinous ligament
to enter the perineum
through the lesser sciatic foramen
.
It travels through the pudendal canal
with the internal pudendal veins
and the pudendal nerve
.
Some sources consider the urethral artery
a direct branch of the internal pudendal artery, while others consider it a branch of the perineal artery
.
In males, the internal pudendal artery also gives rise to the perforating arteries of the penis.
Artery
Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. This blood is normally oxygenated, exceptions made for the pulmonary and umbilical arteries....
that branches off the internal iliac artery
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...
, providing blood to the external genitalia.
The internal pudendal artery is the terminal branch of the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery
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...
. It is smaller in the female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
than in the male
Male
Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...
.
Path
It exits the pelvic cavityPelvic cavity
-External links:* * *...
through the greater sciatic foramen
Greater sciatic foramen
-Boundaries:It is bounded as follows:* anterolaterally by the greater sciatic notch of the illium* posteromedially by the sacrotuberous ligament* inferiorly by the sacrospinous ligament and the ischial spine* superiorly by the anterior sacroilliac ligament...
to enter the gluteal region.
It then curves around the sacrospinous ligament
Sacrospinous ligament
-External links: - "Posterior view of the bones and ligaments of the hip joint."*...
to enter the perineum
Perineum
In human anatomy, the perineum is a region of the body including the perineal body and surrounding structures...
through the lesser sciatic foramen
Lesser sciatic foramen
An opening between the pelvis and the posterior thigh, the foramen is formed by the sacrotuberous ligament which runs between the sacrum and the ischial tuberosity and the sacrospinous ligament which runs between the sacrum and the ischial spine.-Boundaries:...
.
It travels through the pudendal canal
Pudendal canal
The pudendal canal is an anatomical structure in the pelvis through which the internal pudendal artery, internal pudendal veins, and the pudendal nerve pass.-Structure:...
with the internal pudendal veins
Internal pudendal veins
The internal pudendal veins are the venæ comitantes of the internal pudendal artery.They begin in the deep veins of the penis which issue from the corpus cavernosum penis, accompany the internal pudendal artery, and unite to form a single vessel, which ends in the hypogastric vein.They receive the...
and the pudendal nerve
Pudendal nerve
The pudendal nerve is a sensory and somatic nerve in the pelvic region which is a large branch of the sacral plexus that innervates the external genitalia of both sexes, as well as sphincters for the bladder and the rectum...
.
Branches
The internal pudendal artery gives off the following branches:| In females | In males | Description >- | Inferior rectal artery Inferior rectal artery The inferior rectal artery is an artery that supplies blood to the lower half of the anal canal.-Structure:The inferior rectal artery arises from the internal pudendal artery as it passes above the ischial tuberosity.... |
Inferior rectal artery Inferior rectal artery The inferior rectal artery is an artery that supplies blood to the lower half of the anal canal.-Structure:The inferior rectal artery arises from the internal pudendal artery as it passes above the ischial tuberosity.... |
anal canal Anal canal The anal canal is the terminal part of the large intestine.It is situated between the rectum and anus, below the level of the pelvic diaphragm. It lies in the anal triangle of perineum in between the right and left ischioanal fossa.... >- | Perineal artery Perineal artery The perineal artery arises from the internal pudendal artery, and turns upward, crossing either over or under the Transversus perinæi superficialis, and runs forward, parallel to the pubic arch, in the interspace between the Bulbocavernosus and Ischiocavernosus, both of which it supplies, and... |
Perineal artery Perineal artery The perineal artery arises from the internal pudendal artery, and turns upward, crossing either over or under the Transversus perinæi superficialis, and runs forward, parallel to the pubic arch, in the interspace between the Bulbocavernosus and Ischiocavernosus, both of which it supplies, and... |
transversus perinei superficialis muscle Transversus perinei superficialis muscle -External links: - "The Female Perineum: Muscles of the Superficial Perineal Pouch"... >- | Posterior labial branches |
Posterior scrotal branches Posterior scrotal branches Posterior scrotal branches can refer to:* Posterior scrotal nerves* Posterior scrotal branches of the internal pudendal artery... |
>- | Artery of bulb of penis | >- | Dorsal artery of the penis Dorsal artery of the penis The Dorsal Artery of the Penis is a branch of the internal pudendal artery which ascends between the crus penis and the pubic symphysis, and, piercing the inferior fascia of the urogenital diaphragm, passes between the two layers of the suspensory ligament of the penis, and runs forward on the... |
>- | Deep artery of the penis Deep artery of the penis The deep artery of the penis , one of the terminal branches of the internal pudendal, arises from that vessel while it is situated between the two fasciæ of the urogenital diaphragm .... |
to corpus cavernosum penis Corpus cavernosum penis The corpus cavernosum penis is one of a pair of sponge-like regions of erectile tissue which contain most of the blood in the penis during penile erection... |
Some sources consider the urethral artery
Urethral artery
The urethral artery arises from the internal pudendal artery a short distance in front of the artery of the urethral bulb.In the male, it runs forward and medially, pierces the inferior fascia of the urogenital diaphragm and enters the corpus cavernosum urethræ, in which it is continued forward to...
a direct branch of the internal pudendal artery, while others consider it a branch of the perineal artery
Perineal artery
The perineal artery arises from the internal pudendal artery, and turns upward, crossing either over or under the Transversus perinæi superficialis, and runs forward, parallel to the pubic arch, in the interspace between the Bulbocavernosus and Ischiocavernosus, both of which it supplies, and...
.
In males, the internal pudendal artery also gives rise to the perforating arteries of the penis.
Additional images
See also
- Pudendal nervePudendal nerveThe pudendal nerve is a sensory and somatic nerve in the pelvic region which is a large branch of the sacral plexus that innervates the external genitalia of both sexes, as well as sphincters for the bladder and the rectum...
- Superficial external pudendal arterySuperficial external pudendal arteryThe superficial external pudendal artery arises from the medial side of the femoral artery, close to the superficial epigastric artery and superficial iliac circumflex artery.-Course and target:...
- Deep external pudendal arteryDeep external pudendal arteryThe deep external pudendal artery , more deeply seated than the superficial external pudendal artery, passes medialward across the Pectineus and the Adductor longus muscles; it is covered by the fascia lata, which it pierces at the medial side of the thigh, and is distributed, in the male, to the...