VISCEEAL BEANCHES OF THE HYPOGASTEIC AETEEY. 939 



2. Arteria Umbilicalis. -Atrophy of that portion of the umbilical artery 

 which extends from the anterior division of the hypogastric to the umbilicus has 

 already been referred to. The atrophy is complete between the umbilicus and 



. the origin of the superior vesical artery, but between that origin and the apparent 

 ending of the hypogastric in its two divisions it is incomplete, and the lumen 

 of the vessel, though greatly diminished in size, remains patent. It is from 

 the incompletely obliterated portion that the superior vesical artery arises. The 

 completely obliterated part of the umbilical artery is reduced to a fibrous cord 

 which runs along the side of the bladder to its apex, and then ascends, on the 

 posterior surface of the anterior abdominal wall, to the umbilicus. In the latter 

 part of its course it is known as the ligamentum umbilicale laterale. As it passes 



along the wall of the pelvis it is external to the peritoneum, and it is crossed by 

 the ductus deferens in the male, and by the round ligament in the female. 



3. Arteria Vesicalis Inferior. The inferior vesical artery runs medially, upon 

 the upper surface of the levator ani, to the base of the bladder. It also gives 

 branches to the seminal vesicles, the ductus deferens, the lower part of the ureter 

 and the prostate, and it anastomoses with its fellow of the opposite side, with the 

 other vesical arteries, and with the middle hsemorrhoidal artery. 



4. Arteria Deferentialis. The artery to the ductus deferens may arise from 

 either the superior vesical or the inferior. It is a long slender vessel which 

 accompanies the ductus deferens to the testis, where it anastomoses with the 



. testicular artery. It also anastomoses with the external spermatic branch of- the 

 inferior epigastric artery. 



5. Arteria Hsemorrhoidalis Media. The middle hsemorrhoidal artery is an 

 irregular branch which arises either directly from the anterior division of the 

 internal iliac or from the inferior vesical branch ; more rarely it springs from the 

 internal pudendal artery. It runs medially, and is distributed to the muscular 

 coats of the rectum ; it also gives branches to the prostate, the seminal vesicle, 

 and the ductus deferens, and it anastomoses with its fellow of the opposite side, 

 with the inferior vesical, and with the superior and inferior hsemorrhoidal arteries. 



6. Arteria Vaginalis. The vaginal artery may arise either directly from the 

 anterior division of the hypogastric or from a stem common to it and the uterine 

 artery, and it may be represented by several branches. 



It runs downwards and medially, on the floor of the pelvis, to the side of 

 the vagina, and divides into numerous branches which ramify on the anterior 

 and posterior walls of the passage. The corresponding branches of opposite 



( sides anastomose and form anterior and posterior longitudinal vessels, the so-called 

 azygos arteries. They also anastomose above with the cervical branches of the 

 uterine artery, and below with the perineal branches of the internal pudendal. 

 In addition to supplying the vagina, small branches are given to the bulb of 



i the vestibule, to the base of the bladder, and to the rectum. 



7. Arteria Uterina. The uterine artery arises from the anterior division 

 of the internal iliac, either separately or in common with the vaginal or middle 

 haemorrhoidal arteries. It runs medially and slightly forwards, upon the upper 

 surface of the levator ani, to the lower border of the broad ligament, between the 



I two layers of which it passes medially, and arches above the ureter about three- 

 quarters of an inch from the uterus. It passes above the lateral fornix of the 

 .vagina to the side of the neck of the uterus, and then ascends towards the fundus, 

 but at the level of the uterine tube it turns laterally, below the tube and between 

 the layers of the broad ligament, and anastomoses with the ovarian artery. It 

 supplies the uterus, the upper part of the vagina, the medial part of the uterine 

 tube, and gives branches to the round ligament of the uterus. It anastomoses 

 with its fellow of the opposite side, and with the vaginal, the ovarian, and the 

 inferior epigastric arteries, along the round ligament of the uterus. 



ani 



PARIETAL BRANCHES OF THE ANTERIOR DIVISION. 





. Arteria Obturatoria. The obturator artery (Figs. 774 and 777) runs 

 anteriorly and downwards along the lateral wall of the pelvis minor, just below 



