570 THE ARTERIES 



that vessel — is really a branch of the iinobliterated portion of what, in the foetus, 

 ■was the hypogastric artery. It ramifies over the upper fundus of the l)ladder, 

 anastomosing with the artery of the opposite side and with the middle and inferior 

 vesical lielow. It gives off the following branches: — (a) The deferential, or artery 

 of the vas deferens, arises from the superior vesical near the spot where the vas 

 crosses the oljliterated hy[)Ogastric artery, and, having readied the vas, divides into 

 an ascending and a descending branch. Tlie ascending branch follows the vas 

 through the inguinal canal to the testicle, Avhere it anastomoses with the spermatic 

 arterv. The descending l)ranch passes downwards to the dilated portion of the vas 

 and Vesiculse seminales. {h) Tlio uracheric branch passes upwards along the 

 urachus. (c) The ureteric branches pass to the lower end of the ureter, which 

 they supply, and anastomose with the other ureteric arteries, (rf) The middle 

 vesical (sometimes). 



(2) The middle vesical is a branch either of the superior vesical, or of the 

 unobliterated portion of the hypogastric artery. In the latter case it is given off 

 ])efore the superior vesical. It is distributed to the sides and base of the Ijladder, 

 and anastomoses with the other vesical arteries. 



(3) The inferior vesical arises from the anterior division of the internal iliac, 

 frequently in common with the middle htemorrhoidal. and passes downwards and 

 inwards to the base of the bladder, where it breaks up into branches which ramify 

 over the lower part of the viscus. It gives off: — (a) Branches to the prostate. 

 Avhich supply that organ and anastomose with the arteries of the opposite side by 

 means of descending arteries which pass through the prostatic plexus of veins, but 

 outside the capsule of the prostate, and with the inferior hsemorrhoidal branches of 

 the internal pudic. At times one of these prostatic branches is of large size, and 

 supplies certain of the parts normally supplied by the internal pudic. It is then 

 known as the accessory pudic, and then most commonly terminates as the dorsal 

 artery of the penis, {h) Branches to the vesicuke seminales; and (r) branches (in 

 the female) to the vagina. (See Vagixal Artery. ) The artery of the vas deferens 

 sometimes arises from the inferior vesical, instead of from the superior vesical. 



3. THE MIDDLE H^EMORRHOIDAL ARTERY 



The middle haemorrhoidal or the middle rectal artery, variable in its origin, 

 perhaps most commonly arises from the anterior division of the internal iliac along 

 with the inferior vesical. It runs inwards to the sides of the middle portion of the 

 rectum, dividing into branches which anastomose above with the superior ha?mor- 

 rhoidal derived from the inferior mesenteric, and below with the inferior hsemor- 

 rhoidal derived from branches of the pudic. Its corresponding vein terminates in 

 the inferior mesenteric vein. 



4. THE UTERINE ARTERY 



The uterine artery arises from the anterior liranch of the internal iliac close to 

 or in conjunction with tlie middle hiemorrhoidal or inferior vesical. It runs down- 

 wards and in wards, through the pelvic connective tissue in the so-called infundibulo- 

 pelvic ligament, crossing the ureter about half an inch from the cervix uteri. It then 

 turns upwards and ascends between the layers of the broad ligament on the side 

 of the uterus in a coiled and tortuous manner, and, after giving off a number of 

 tortuous branches Avhich ramify in a horizontal manner over the front and back 

 of the uterus, supplying its substance, anastomoses with the uterine branch of 

 the ovarian artery. The distribution of the vessel in the uterus Avill be described 

 with that organ. The branches of the uterine artery are: — (1) Cervical. — This 

 branch comes oft' from the iiU'rine as the latter artery crosses the ureter to turn up- 

 wards on to the uterus. It runs directly inwards, and divides into three or four 

 branches Avhich pass on to the cervix at right angles to it; one branch anastomosing 

 with its fellow of the opposite side in front and beliind the neck, forming the so-called 

 coronary artery of the cervix. (2) Vaginal azygos. — A second branch descends 



