External iliac artery

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Artery: External iliac artery
Bifurcation of the aorta and the right iliac arteries - side view. (External iliac artery is artery at upper left, seen splitting from common iliac artery at top.)
The relations of the femoral and abdominal inguinal rings, seen from within the abdomen. Right side. (External iliac artery is large artery at center, and inguinal ligament runs from upper right to lower left. When the artery crosses the ligament, it becomes the femoral artery.)
Latin	arteria iliaca externa
Gray's	subject #156 622
Source	common iliac arteries
Branches	femoral arteries, inferior epigastric arteries
Drain	external iliac veins

The external iliac artery is a large artery in the pelvic region that carries blood to the lower limb.

The external iliac artery is a paired artery, meaning there is one on each side of the body: a right external iliac artery and left external iliac artery.

The external iliac artery is accompanied by the external iliac vein, which is located posterior to the artery.

Source

Front of abdomen, showing common iliac artery, the source of the external iliac artery

The external iliac artery arises from the bifurcation of the common iliac artery. It travels inferiorly, anteriorly, and laterally, making its ways to the lower limb:

Branches

Additional images

The internal mammary artery and its branches.	Dissection of side wall of pelvis showing sacral and pudendal plexuses.	Sacral plexus of the right side.	Posterior view of the anterior abdominal wall in its lower half. The peritoneum is in place, and the various cords are shining through.
The spermatic cord in the inguinal canal.	Front of abdomen, showing surface markings for arteries and inguinal canal.

See also

• Internal iliac artery
• Common iliac artery

External links

• Gray's s157 - "The arteries of the lower extremity"
• Gray's s173 - "The veins of the lower extremity, abdomen, and pelvis"
• SUNY Labs 43:12-0104 - "The Female Pelvis: The External and Internal Iliac Vessels"
• SUNY Figs 43:07-05 - "Sagittal view of the internal iliac artery and its branches in the female pelvis. "
• SUNY Anatomy Image 8970
• pelvis at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (pelvicarteries)
• Hypogastric artery - thefreedictionary.com