PELVIS MINOR 



455 



lateral umbilical ligament. The lateral umbilical ligament 

 springs from the lower end of the trunk, or from the anterior 

 division, of the hypogastric artery, and runs forwards on the 

 side wall of the pelvis to the apex of the bladder, whence it 

 ascends to the umbilicus. At the side of the pelvis it lies at 

 a higher level than the obturator nerve, and it passes to the 

 lateral side of the ductus deferens. For about the first 50 mm. 

 (two inches) of its extent it has a small lumen, and from that 

 part one or more superior vesical branches arise. 1 



Branches of the Divisions of the Hypogastric Artery. 



Arterise Vesicales Superiores. As a rule there are two 

 or three slender superior vesical arteries which spring from 

 the umbilical artery. They supply the greater part of the 

 superior and infero-lateral surfaces of the bladder, and occa- 

 sionally one of them gives off the artery to the ductus deferens^ 

 an extremely slender branch, which can be traced along the 

 deferent duct to the testis. 



Arteria Vesicalis Inferior. The inferior vesical artery is 

 usually of larger size than any of the superior vesical branches. 

 It crosses in front of the ureter and over or under the angular 

 bend of the deferent duct, to reach the base of the bladder, 

 where it ramifies, sending twigs to the bladder, the seminal 

 vesicle, the ductus deferens, and the prostate. It frequently 

 gives off the artery to the ductus de/erens. 



1 Although the portion of the hypogastric artery of the foetus which runs 

 from the greater sciatic notch through the umbilicus to the placenta is the direct 

 continuation of the main trunk, it is frequently called the umbilical artery and 

 is spoken of as a branch of the hypogastric artery. When this terminology is 

 adopted the lateral umbilical ligament is said to be the remains of the umbilical 

 artery. 



II 29 & 



