Greater sciatic foramen
Articulations of pelvis, anterior view, with greater sciatic foramen (labeled in red) and its boundaries.
Muscles of the gluteal and posterior femoral regions, piriformis labeled
Latin	foramen ischiadicum majus
Gray's	subject #80 309
Dorlands/Elsevier	sciatic foramen

The greater sciatic foramen is a major foramen of the pelvis.

Contents 1 Boundaries 2 Contents 3 Additional images 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Boundaries

It is bounded as follows:

• anterolaterally by the greater sciatic notch of the illium
• posteromedially by the sacrotuberous ligament
• inferiorly by the sacrospinous ligament and the ischial spine
• superiorly by the anterior sacroilliac ligament

[edit] Contents

It is partially filled up, in the recent state, by the Piriformis which leaves the pelvis through it.

The following structures make their exit from the pelvis through the greater sciatic foramen:

Location	Name	Vessels	Nerves
Above the Piriformis	suprapiriform foramen[1]	superior gluteal vessels	superior gluteal nerve
Below the Piriformis	infrapiriform foramen[1]	inferior gluteal vessels internal pudendal vessels	inferior gluteal nerve pudendal nerve sciatic nerve posterior femoral cutaneous nerve Nerve to obturator internus Nerve to quadratus femoris

[edit] Additional images

Right hip bone. External surface.	Left Levator ani from within.	The arteries of the gluteal and posterior femoral regions.	Nerves of the right lower extremity Posterior view.
Left gluteal region, showing surface markings for arteries and sciatic nerve.

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} Yokochi, Chihiro; Rohen, Johannes W.. Color Atlas of Anatomy: A Photographic Study of the Human Body. Hagerstown, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 482. ISBN 0-7817-9013-1. 

[edit] External links

• SUNY Labs 41:os-0109
• Duke Orthopedics greater_sciatic_foramen
• glutealregion at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (glutealart, glutealner)

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

v • d • e Bones of pelvis / pelvic cavity (TA A02.5.01-03, GA 2.231-241) General sacrum · coccyx · hip bone Ilium body arcuate line wing gluteal lines (posterior, anterior, inferior) iliac spines (anterior superior, anterior inferior, posterior superior, posterior inferior) other: crest · tuberosity · tubercle · fossa Ischium body ischial spine · lesser sciatic notch superior ramus tuberosity of the ischium inferior ramus no substructures Pubis body pubic crest superior ramus pubic tubercle · obturator crest inferior ramus pectineal line Compound acetabulum (acetabular notch) · iliopubic eminence / iliopectineal line · linea terminalis · ischiopubic ramus / pubic arch obturator foramen · greater sciatic foramen / greater sciatic notch · lesser sciatic foramen lesser pelvis (pelvic inlet, pelvic brim, pelvic outlet) · greater pelvis

v • d • e Joints and ligaments of torso (TA A03.02-04, GA 3.299) Vertebral column Syndesmosis articulations of vertebral bodies: anterior longitudinal ligament · posterior longitudinal ligament articulations of vertebral arches: ligamenta flava · supraspinous ligament (nuchal ligament) · interspinal ligament · intertransverse ligament Synchondrosis intervertebral disc (annulus fibrosus, nucleus pulposus) Synovial joint Atlanto-axial (lat + med) capsule · atlantoaxial ligaments (anterior, posterior) · Cruciate ligament of atlas (Transverse ligament of atlas) Alar ligament · Apical ligament of dens · Tectorial membrane of atlanto-axial joint Zygapophysial no ligaments Lumbosacral iliolumbar ligament Sacrococcygeal anterior sacrococcygeal ligament · posterior sacrococcygeal ligament Thorax Costovertebral articulation of head of rib: radiate ligament · interarticular ligament costotransverse: Lumbocostal ligament Sternocostal interarticular sternocostal ligament · radiate sternocostal ligaments · costoxiphoid ligaments Interchondral no ligaments Costochondral no ligaments Pelvis Syndesmoses of pelvic girdle Obturator membrane · Obturator canal Pubic symphysis superior pubic ligament · inferior pubic ligament Sacroiliac anterior sacroiliac ligament · posterior sacroiliac ligament · interosseous sacroiliac ligament ligaments connecting the sacrum and ischium: sacrotuberous ligament · sacrospinous ligament Greater sciatic foramen · Lesser sciatic foramen

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