INTERNAL ILIAC AKTEKY. 



307 



And of the posterior trunk the 



Ilio-lumbar, Lateral sacral, 



Obturator, Gluteal. 



The umbilical artery is the commencement of the fibrous cord 

 into which the umbilical artery of the fostus is converted after birth. 

 In after life, the cord remains pervious for a short distance and con- 

 stitutes the umbilical artery of the adult, from which the superior 

 vesical artery is given off to the fund us and anterior aspect of the 

 bladder. The cord may be traced forwards by the side of the 

 fundus of the bladder to near its apex, whence it ascends by the 

 side of the linea alba and urachus to the umbilicus. 



Fig. 112.* 



The Middle vesical artery is generally a branch of the umbilical, 

 and sometimes of the internal iliac. It is somewhat larger than the 

 superior vesical, and is distributed to the posterior part of the body 

 of the bladder, the vesiculse seminales, and prostate gland. 



The Middle htEmorrkoidal artery is as frequently derived from the 

 ischiatic or internal pudic as from the internal iliac. It is of variable 

 size, and is distributed to the rectum, base of the bladder, vesiculae 

 seminales, and prostate gland ; and inosculates with the superior and 

 external haemoirjioidal arteries. 



* The distribution and branches of the iliac arteries. 1. "The aorta. 2. The left 

 common iliac artery. 3. The external iliac. 4. The epigastric artery. 5. The cir- 

 cumflexa ilii. G. The internal iliac -artery. 7. Its anterior trunk. 8. Its posterior 

 trunk. 9. The, umbilical artery giving off (10) the superior vesical artery. After the 

 origin of this branch, the umbilical artery becomes converted into a fibrous cord the 

 umbilical ligament. 11. The internal pndic artery passing behind the spine of the 

 ischium (12) and lesser sacro-ischiatic ligament. 13. The middle hsemorrhoidal artery. 

 14. The ischiatic artery, also passing behind the anterior sacro-ischiatic ligament to 

 escape from the pelvis/ 15. Its inferior vesical branch. 16. The ilio-lumbar, the first 

 branch of the posterior trunk (8) ascending to inosculate with the circumflexa ilii artery 

 (5) and form an arch along the crest of the ilium. 17. The obturator artery. 18. The 

 lateral sacral. 19. The gluteal artery escaping from the pelvis through the upper part 

 of the great sacro-ischiatic foramen. 20. The sacra media. 21. The right common 

 iliac artery cut short. 22. The femoral artery. 



