The greater sciatic notch is a notch in the ilium, one of the bones that make up the

human pelvis The pelvis (plural pelves or pelvises) is the lower part of the Trunk (anatomy), trunk, between the human abdomen, abdomen and the thighs (sometimes also called pelvic region), together with its embedded skeleton (sometimes also called bony pel ...

. It lies between the

posterior inferior iliac spine The posterior inferior iliac spine (Sweeney's Tubercle) is an anatomical landmark that describes a bony "spine", or projection, at the posterior and inferior surface of the iliac bone. It is one of two such spines on the posterior surface, the o ...

(above), and the

ischial spine The ischial spine is part of the posterior border of the body of the ischium bone of the pelvis. It is a thin and pointed triangular eminence, more or less elongated in different subjects. Structure The pudendal nerve travels close to the isch ...

(below). The

sacrospinous ligament The sacrospinous ligament (small or anterior sacrosciatic ligament) is a thin, triangular ligament in the human pelvis. The base of the ligament is attached to the outer edge of the sacrum and coccyx, and the tip of the ligament attaches to the sp ...

changes this notch into an opening, the

greater sciatic foramen The greater sciatic foramen is an opening (foramen) in the posterior human pelvis. It is formed by the sacrotuberous and sacrospinous ligaments. The piriformis muscle passes through the foramen and occupies most of its volume. The greater sciati ...

. The notch holds the

piriformis The piriformis muscle () is a flat, pyramidally-shaped muscle in the buttock, gluteal region of the lower limbs. It is one of the six muscles in the lateral rotator group. The piriformis muscle has its origin upon the front surface of the sacrum, ...

, the

superior gluteal vein The superior gluteal veins (gluteal veins) are venæ comitantes of the superior gluteal artery; they receive tributaries from the buttock corresponding with the branches of the artery, and enter the pelvis through the greater sciatic foramen, abo ...

and

artery An artery (plural arteries) () is a blood vessel in humans and most animals that takes blood away from the heart to one or more parts of the body (tissues, lungs, brain etc.). Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the two exceptions are the pul ...

, and the superior gluteal nerve; the

inferior gluteal vein The inferior gluteal veins (sciatic veins), or venae comitantes of the inferior gluteal artery, begin on the upper part of the back of the thigh In human anatomy, the thigh is the area between the hip ( pelvis) and the knee. Anatomically, i ...

and

and the

inferior gluteal nerve The inferior gluteal nerve is the main motor neuron that innervates the gluteus maximus muscle. It is responsible for the movement of the gluteus maximus in activities requiring the hip to extend the thigh, such as climbing stairs. Injury to thi ...

; the

sciatic The sciatic nerve, also called the ischiadic nerve, is a large nerve in humans and other vertebrate animals which is the largest branch of the sacral plexus and runs alongside the hip joint and down the lower limb. It is the longest and widest si ...

and

posterior femoral cutaneous nerve The posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh (also called the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve) is a sensory nerve in the thigh. It supplies the skin of the posterior surface of the thigh, leg, buttock, and also the perineum. Structure The pos ...

s; the

internal pudendal artery The internal pudendal artery is one of the three pudendal arteries. It branches off the internal iliac artery, and provides blood to the external genitalia. Structure The internal pudendal artery is the terminal branch of the anterior trunk of t ...

and

veins Veins are blood vessels in humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated b ...

, and the nerves to the

internal obturator The internal obturator muscle or obturator internus muscle originates on the medial surface of the obturator membrane, the ischium near the membrane, and the rim of the pubis. It exits the pelvic cavity through the lesser sciatic foramen. The i ...

and

quadratus femoris The quadratus femoris is a flat, quadrilateral skeletal muscle. Located on the posterior side of the hip joint, it is a strong external rotator and adductor of the thigh, but also acts to stabilize the femoral head in the acetabulum. Quadratus ...

muscles. Of these, the superior gluteal vessels and nerve pass out above the piriformis, and the other structures below it. The greater sciatic notch is wider in women (about 74.4 degrees on average) than in men (about 50.4 degrees).Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice

References

External links

* - The Male Perineum and the Penis: Osteology" * - "The Male Pelvis: Hip Bone" {{Authority control Bones of the pelvis

See also

References

External links