Artery: Inferior gluteal artery
Left gluteal region, showing surface markings for arteries and sciatic nerve.
Internal iliac artery and branches, including inferior gluteal artery.
Latin	arteria glutea inferior
Gray's	subject #155 620
Supplies	Gluteus maximus muscle, Piriformis muscle, Quadratus femoris muscle
Source	Internal iliac artery
Branches	Accompanying artery of ischiadic nerve
Vein	inferior gluteal veins

The inferior gluteal artery (sciatic artery), the larger of the two terminal branches of the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery, is distributed chiefly to the buttock and back of the thigh.

It passes down on the sacral plexus of nerves and the Piriformis, behind the internal pudendal artery, to the lower part of the greater sciatic foramen, through which it escapes from the pelvis between the Piriformis and Coccygeus.

It then descends in the interval between the greater trochanter of the femur and tuberosity of the ischium, accompanied by the sciatic and posterior femoral cutaneous nerves, and covered by the Glutæus maximus, and is continued down the back of the thigh, supplying the skin, and anastomosing with branches of the perforating arteries.

[edit] See also

• Superior gluteal artery

[edit] Additional images

The arteries of the gluteal and posterior femoral regions.

Dissection of side wall of pelvis showing sacral and pudendal plexuses.

[edit] External links

• Duke Orthopedics inferior_gluteal_artery
• SUNY Figs 43:07-12 - "Sagittal view of the internal iliac artery and its branches in the female pelvis. "
• pelvis at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (pelvicarteries)

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 As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

This cardiovascular system article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

v • d • e List of arteries of torso – abdomen (TA A12.2.12-15, GA 6.598) AA Anterior celiac left gastric esophageal branches splenic pancreatic branches (greater, dorsal) · short gastric · left gastro-omental common hepatic proper hepatic (cystic) · right gastric · gastroduodenal (right gastro-omental, superior pancreaticoduodenal, supraduodenal) SMA inferior pancreaticoduodenal · intestinal (jejunal, ileal, arcades, vasa recta)  · ileocolic (colic, anterior cecal, posterior cecal, ileal branch, appendicular)  · right colic · middle colic IMA left colic · sigmoid · superior rectal · marginal Posterior visceral middle suprarenal · renal (inferior suprarenal, ureteral) · gonadal (testicular ♂ / ovarian ♀) parietal inferior phrenic (superior suprarenal) · lumbar · median sacral · Coccygeal glomus terminal/ common iliac IIA Anterior umbilical superior vesical · to ductus deferens ♂ obturator anterior branch · posterior branch middle rectal vaginal branch ♀ uterine ♀ helicine · vaginal of uterine · ovarian of uterine · tubal of uterine V/IV vaginal ♀ · inferior vesical ♂ inferior gluteal accompanying of ischiadic nerve · crucial anastomosis internal pudendal inferior rectal · perineal(posterior scrotal ♂/labial ♀) · bulb of penis ♂/vestibule ♀ · urethral · deep artery of the penis ♂ (helicine)/clitoris ♀ · dorsal of the penis ♂/clitoris ♀ Posterior iliolumbar (lumbar, iliac) · lateral sacral · superior gluteal EIA inferior epigastric (cremasteric, round ligament) · deep circumflex iliac · femoral