The iliac branch of the iliolumbar artery (ramus iliacus) descends to supply the
iliacus
The iliacus is a flat, triangular muscle which fills the iliac fossa. It forms the lateral portion of iliopsoas, providing flexion of the thigh and lower limb at the acetabulofemoral joint.
Structure
The iliacus arises from the iliac fossa on t ...
muscle; some offsets, running between the muscle and the bone,
anastomose
An anastomosis (, plural anastomoses) is a connection or opening between two things (especially cavities or passages) that are normally diverging or branching, such as between blood vessels, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection may be normal ...
with the iliac branches of the
obturator artery
The obturator artery is a branch of the internal iliac artery that passes antero-inferiorly (forwards and downwards) on the lateral wall of the pelvis, to the upper part of the obturator foramen, and, escaping from the pelvic cavity through the obt ...
; one of these enters an oblique canal to supply the bone, while others run along the crest of the
ilium, distributing branches to the gluteal and abdominal muscles, and anastomosing in their course with the
superior gluteal artery
The superior gluteal artery is the largest and final branch of the internal iliac artery. It is the continuation of the posterior division of that vessel. It is a short artery which runs backward between the lumbosacral trunk and the first sacral ...
,
iliac circumflex artery, and the
lateral circumflex femoral artery
The lateral circumflex femoral artery, also known as the lateral femoral circumflex artery, or the external circumflex artery, is an artery in the upper thigh. It is usually a branch of the profunda femoris artery, and produces three branches. It i ...
. This anastamosis occurs around the
anterior superior iliac spine
The anterior superior iliac spine (abbreviated: ASIS) is a bony projection of the iliac bone, and an important landmark of surface anatomy. It refers to the anterior extremity of the iliac crest of the pelvis. It provides attachment for the ingui ...
.
{{Arteries of abdomen
Arteries of the abdomen