Corpus: Superior gluteal artery

The superior gluteal artery is the largest branch of the internal iliac artery.

The superior gluteal artery is a relatively short vascular segment that runs dorsally between the lumbosacral trunk and the first sacral nerve and leaves the pelvis through the suprapiriform foramen. Immediately afterwards, the artery divides into a superficial branch and a deep branch.

2.1. Superficial ramus

The superficial branch enters the muscle at the lower surface of the gluteus maximus muscle and splits into numerous smaller branches. Some of them supply the muscle, others perforate it and nourish the skin or the subcutaneous tissue above the sacral bone. Its end branches form anastomoses with the inferior gluteal artery and the lateral sacral artery.

2.2. Ramus profundus

The deep branch lies under the gluteus medius muscle and quickly splits into two smaller branches. The upper branch continues the original course of the vessel and follows the lower edge of the gluteus minimus muscle to the spina iliaca anterior superior, where it anastomoses with the deep iliac circumflex artery and the superficial lateral iliac artery.

The lower branch crosses obliquely over the gluteus minimus muscle to the greater trochanter, giving off branches to the surrounding musculature and the hip joint. It also anastomoses with the lateral circumflex femoral artery.

The superior gluteal artery supplies parts of the gluteal muscles, the piriformis muscle and the tensor fasciae latae muscle, as well as parts of the skin of the gluteal and sacral region.