The superior gluteal artery is the largest and final branch of the

internal iliac artery The internal iliac artery (formerly known as the hypogastric 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 compart ...

. 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 nerve. It divides into a superficial and a deep branch after passing out of the pelvis above the upper border of the

piriformis muscle The piriformis muscle () is a flat, pyramidally-shaped muscle in the 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, and inse ...

. Within the pelvis, it gives off branches to 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 ...

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, ...

, and

obturator internus 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 ...

muscles. Just previous to exiting the pelvic cavity, it also gives off a nutrient artery which enters the ilium.

Structure

The superior gluteal artery is the largest and final branch of the

. It branches from the posterior division of the internal iliac artery. It exits the pelvis through 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 ...

. It divides into a superficial and a deep branch.

Superficial branch

The superficial branch passes over the piriformis muscle. It enters the deep surface of the

gluteus maximus muscle The gluteal muscles, often called glutes are a group of three muscles which make up the gluteal region commonly known as the buttocks: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. The three muscles originate from the ilium and sacr ...

, and divides into numerous branches. Some branches supply the muscle and anastomose with the

inferior gluteal artery The inferior gluteal artery (sciatic artery), the smaller of the two terminal branches of the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery, is distributed chiefly to the buttock and back of the thigh. It passes down on the sacral plexus of nerves a ...

, while others perforate its tendinous origin, and supply the integument covering the posterior surface of the sacrum, anastomosing with the posterior branches of the

lateral sacral arteries The lateral sacral arteries is an artery in the pelvis that arises from the posterior division of the internal iliac artery. It later splits into two smaller branches, a superior and an inferior. Structure The lateral sacral artery is the se ...

Deep branch

The deep branch lies under the gluteus medius and almost immediately subdivides into the superior and inferior divisions. The superior division continues the original course of the vessel, passing along the upper border of the gluteus minimus to the anterior superior spine of the ilium ( ASIS), anastomosing with the

deep iliac circumflex artery Deep or The Deep may refer to: Places United States * Deep Creek (Appomattox River tributary), Virginia * Deep Creek (Great Salt Lake), Idaho and Utah * Deep Creek (Mahantango Creek tributary), Pennsylvania * Deep Creek (Mojave River tributary), ...

and the ascending branch of the

lateral femoral circumflex 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 ...

. The inferior division crosses the gluteus minimus obliquely to the greater trochanter, distributing branches to the

gluteal muscles The gluteal muscles, often called glutes are a group of three muscles which make up the gluteal region commonly known as the buttocks: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. The three muscles originate from the ilium and sac ...

and anastomoses with the

. Some branches pierce the gluteus minimus and supply the

hip-joint In vertebrate anatomy, hip (or "coxa"Latin ''coxa'' was used by Celsus in the sense "hip", but by Pliny the Elder in the sense "hip bone" (Diab, p 77) in medical terminology) refers to either an anatomical region or a joint. The hip region is ...

Function

The superior gluteal artery takes part in the trochanteric anastomoses, forming a connection between internal iliac and femoral artery. In the gluteal region, the superior gluteal artery supplies the gluteus maximus and overlying skin, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, tensor fascia lata. It contributes to anastomoses at the anterior superior iliac spine and the hip joint.

Additional images

File:AGSI.jpg, Superior gluteal artery and many of the structures it supplies. File:Gray544.png, The arteries of the gluteal and posterior femoral regions.

References

External links

* - "The Female Pelvis: Branches of Internal Iliac Artery" {{Authority control Arteries of the abdomen