| Inferior epigastric artery | |
|---|---|
 Rightinferior epigastric artery - view from inside of abdomen. (Inferior epigastric vessels labeled at upper left.) | |
 The abdominal inguinal ring. (Inf. epigastric artery labeled at center left.) | |
| Details | |
| Source | External iliac artery |
| Branches | Cremasteric artery, pubic branch of inferior epigastric artery,artery of round ligament of uterus ♀ |
| Vein | Inferior epigastric vein |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | arteria epigastrica inferior |
| TA98 | A12.2.16.003 |
| TA2 | 4358 |
| FMA | 20686 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Inhuman anatomy, theinferior epigastric artery is anartery that arises from theexternal iliac artery.[1]: 225 It is accompanied by theinferior epigastric vein; inferiorly, these two inferior epigastric vessels together travel within thelateral umbilical fold (which represents the lateral border ofHesselbach's triangle, the area through whichdirect inguinal hernias protrude.[2]) The inferior epigastric artery then traverses thearcuate line of rectus sheath to enter therectus sheath,[1]: 234 thenanastomoses with thesuperior epigastric artery within therectus sheath.[1]: 225
The inferior epigastric artery arises from theexternal iliac artery, immediately superior to theinguinal ligament.[3]
It curves forward in the subperitoneal tissue, and then ascends obliquely along the medial margin of the abdominal inguinal ring; continuing its course upward, it pierces thetransversalis fascia, and, passing in front of thelinea semicircularis, ascends between therectus abdominis muscle and the posterior lamella of its sheath.
It finally divides into numerous branches, which anastomose, above theumbilicus, with the superior epigastric branch of theinternal thoracic artery and with thelower intercostal arteries.
As the inferior epigastric artery passes obliquely upward from its origin it lies along the lower and medial margins of the abdominal inguinal ring, and behind the commencement of thespermatic cord.
Thevas deferens, as it leaves thespermatic cord in the male, and the round ligament of theuterus in the female, winds around the lateral and posterior aspects of the artery.
Itanastomoses with thesuperior epigastric artery.[3]
The inferior epigastric artery may lie close to aninguinal hernia, so acts as a usefullandmark.[4]
The inferior epigastric artery may be damaged duringlaparoscopic surgery.[4] It may also be damaged when manually finding theperitoneum beneath therectus abdominis muscle.[4]
This article incorporates text in thepublic domain frompage 623 of the 20th edition ofGray's Anatomy(1918)
