The Inferior Epigastric Artery: Anatomical Study and Clinical Significance

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Waseem Al-Talalwah

Summary

The inferior epigastric artery usually arises from the external iliac artery. It may arise from different origin. The aim of current study is to provide sufficient date of the inferior epigastric artery for clinician, radiologists, surgeons, orthopaedic surgeon, obstetricians and gynaecologists. The current study includes 171 dissected cadavers (92 male and 79 female) to investigate the origin and branch of the inferior epigastric artery in United Kingdom population (Caucasian) as well as in male and female. The inferior epigastric artery found to be a direct branch arising independently from the external iliac artery in 83.6 %. Inferior epigastric artery arises from common trunk of external iliac artery with the obturator artery or aberrant obturator artery in 15.1 % or 1.3 %. Further, the inferior epigastric artery gives obturator and aberrant obturator branch in 3.3 % and 0.3 %. Therefore, the retropubic connection vascularity is 20 % which is more in female than male. As the retropubic region includes a high vascular variation, a great precaution has to be considered prior to surgery such as hernia repair, internal fixation of pubic fracture and skin flap transplantation. The radiologists have to report treating physicians to decrease intra-pelvic haemorrhage due to iatrogenic lacerating obturator or its accessory artery

KEY WORDS: Inferior epigastric; Obturator; Aberrant Oburator; Accessory Obturator; Hernia; Corona Mortis; Pubic fracture.

How to cite this article

AL-TALALWAH, W. The inferior epigastric artery: anatomical study and clinical significance. Int. J. Morphol., 35(1):7-11, 2017.