Arteria iliaca interna. 



225 



571. Course and Ramification of the Arteries of 



the Pelvis. View from behind, after removal of the posterior pelvic wall. 



c) The superior gluteal artery, Art. glutaea superior, the 

 largest branch of the internal iliac artery , passes above the upper 

 border of the pyriformis muscle through the great sacro-sciatic notch, 

 to the gluteal muscles; one of its branches passes forwards between 

 M. glutaeus maximus and medius, the other, larger, passes between M. glu- 

 taeus medius and minimus. Both divide into a number of branches. 

 The anterior branches of the internal iliac artery are: 

 a) The obturator, Art. obturatoria ; it passes through the obtu- 

 rator canal in company with the obturator nerve and divides at the 

 upper border of the M. obturatorius into an anterior or internal 

 and a posterior or external branch. The internal ramifies in 

 the MM. adductor femoris longus et brevis, pectineus and gracilis ; the exter- 

 nal sends the Art. acetabuli to the Lig. teres of the hip-joint and finally 

 distributes branches to the external rotator muscles. 



