Internal pudendal artery

Internal pudendal artery
Internal iliac artery with branches, including internal pudendal artery.
The superficial branches of the internal pudendal artery.
Details
Source	internal iliac artery
Vein	Internal pudendal veins
Supplies	external genitalia, perineum
Identifiers
Latin	arteria pudenda interna
TA	A12.2.15.038
FMA	18835
Anatomical terminology []

The internal pudendal artery is one of the three pudendal arteries that branches off the internal iliac artery, providing blood to the external genitalia.

The internal pudendal artery is the terminal branch of the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery. It is smaller in the female than in the male.

It arises from the anterior division of internal iliac artery. It runs on the lateral pelvic wall.It exits the pelvic cavity through the greater sciatic foramen, inferior to the piriformis muscle, to enter the gluteal region.

It then curves around the sacrospinous ligament to enter the perineum through the lesser sciatic foramen.

It travels through the pudendal canal with the internal pudendal veins and the pudendal nerve.

The internal pudendal artery gives off the following branches:

The deep artery of clitoris is a branch of the internal pudendal artery and supplies the clitoral crura. Another branch of the internal pudendal artery is the dorsal artery of clitoris.

Some sources consider the urethral artery a direct branch of the internal pudendal artery, while others consider it a branch of the perineal artery.

In males, the internal pudendal artery also gives rise to the perforating arteries of the penis.

Right hip bone. Internal surface.

Dissection of side wall of pelvis showing sacral and pudendal plexuses.