The superior rectal artery (superior hemorrhoidal artery) is an artery that descends into the

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

to supply blood to the

rectum The rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in humans and some other mammals, and the gut in others. The adult human rectum is about long, and begins at the rectosigmoid junction (the end of the sigmoid colon) at the l ...

Structure

The superior rectal artery is the continuation of the

inferior mesenteric artery In human anatomy, the inferior mesenteric artery, often abbreviated as IMA, is the third main branch of the abdominal aorta and arises at the level of L3, supplying the large intestine from the distal transverse colon to the upper part of the ana ...

. It descends into the

between the layers of the

mesentery The mesentery is an organ that attaches the intestines to the posterior abdominal wall in humans and is formed by the double fold of peritoneum. It helps in storing fat and allowing blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves to supply the intesti ...

of the

sigmoid colon The sigmoid colon (or pelvic colon) is the part of the large intestine that is closest to the rectum and anus. It forms a loop that averages about in length. The loop is typically shaped like a Greek letter sigma (ς) or Latin letter S (thus '' ...

, crossing the left

common iliac artery The common iliac artery is a large artery of the abdomen paired on each side. It originates from the aortic bifurcation at the level of the 4th lumbar vertebra. It ends in front of the sacroiliac joint, one on either side, and each bifurcates ...

and vein. It divides, opposite the third sacral vertebra into two branches, which descend one on either side of the

. About 10 or 12 cm from the

anus The anus (Latin, 'ring' or 'circle') is an opening at the opposite end of an animal's digestive tract from the mouth. Its function is to control the expulsion of feces, the residual semi-solid waste that remains after food digestion, which, de ...

, these branches break up into several small branches. These pierce the muscular coat of the bowel and run downward, as straight vessels, placed at regular intervals from each other in the wall of the gut between its muscular and mucous coats, to the level of the

internal anal sphincter The internal anal sphincter, IAS, (or sphincter ani internus) is a ring of smooth muscle that surrounds about 2.5–4.0 cm of the anal canal; its inferior border is in contact with, but quite separate from, the external anal sphincter. It is ...

; here they form a series of loops around the lower end of the rectum, and communicate with the

middle rectal artery The middle rectal artery is an artery in the pelvis that supplies blood to the rectum. Structure The middle rectal artery usually arises from the internal iliac artery. It is distributed to the rectum above the pectinate line. It anastomoses wi ...

(from 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 compar ...

) and with the

inferior rectal artery The inferior rectal artery (inferior hemorrhoidal artery) is an artery that supplies blood to the lower third of the anal canal below the pectinate line. Structure The inferior rectal artery arises from the internal pudendal artery as it passes ...

(from 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 ...

Function

The superior rectal artery supplies the

and the

Additional images

File:Gray1077.png, The posterior aspect of the rectum exposed by removing the lower part of the sacrum and the coccyx.

References

External links

* - "Branches of the inferior mesenteric artery." * - "Intestines and Pancreas: Branches of the Inferior Mesenteric Artery" * * () {{Authority control Arteries of the abdomen

Structure

Function

Additional images

See also

References

External links