Internal iliac artery.

Parietal branches of the internal iliac artery. A. iliaca interna, starting from the lower end of the common iliac artery at the level of the sacroiliac joint, descends into the small pelvis and extends to the upper edge of the large sciatic hole. Its division into branches, near-wall and visceral, is subject to significant individual variations, but more often it is divided at the level of the upper edge of the large sciatic opening first into two main trunks – the rear, giving aa. iliolumbalis, sacralis lateralis, glutea superior, and the front, from which all other branches of a. iliacae internae. On the way a. iliaca interna is covered with the peritoneum, and the ureter runs down the front, which is important to take into account during the operation so as not to bandage it instead of the artery; v lies behind. iliaca interna.