External iliac vein

Vein: External iliac vein
Veins of the abdomen and lower limb - inferior vena cava, common iliac vein, external iliac vein, internal iliac vein, femoral vein and their tributaries. The aorta and its bifurcation (unlabeled) appear in red.
The relations of the femoral and abdominal inguinal rings, seen from within the abdomen. Right side. (External iliac vein is large vein at center.)
Latin	vena iliaca externa
Gray's	subject #173 672
Source	femoral veins
Drains to	common iliac vein
Artery	external iliac arteries

The external iliac veins are large veins that connect the femoral veins to the common iliac veins. Their origin is at the inferior margin of the inguinal ligaments and they terminate when they join the internal iliac veins (to form the common iliac veins).

Both external iliac veins are accompanied along their course by external iliac arteries.

Significant tributaries of the external iliac vein

The inferior epigastric veins drain into the external iliac veins.

Additional images

Diagram showing completion of development of the parietal veins.

The arteries of the pelvis.

The veins of the right half of the male pelvis.

The spermatic cord in the inguinal canal.

External links

• Gray's s157 - "The arteries of the lower extremity"
• Gray's s173 - "The veins of the lower extremity, abdomen, and pelvis"
• pelvis at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (pelvicarteries)