Median sacral artery

Median sacral artery
The abdominal aorta and its branches. (Middle sacral visible at center bottom.)
The arteries of the pelvis. (Middle sacral labeled at upper right.)
Details
Source	abdominal aorta
Vein	Median sacral vein
Supplies	coccyx, lumbar vertebrae, sacrum
Identifiers
Latin	arteria sacralis mediana
TA98	A12.2.12.008
TA2	4298
FMA	14757
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The median sacral artery (or middle sacral artery) is a small artery that arises posterior to the abdominal aorta and superior to its bifurcation.

Structure

The median sacral artery arises from the

Minute branches pass from it, to the posterior surface of the rectum.

On the last lumbar vertebra it

It is crossed by the left

The median sacral artery is morphologically the direct continuation of the abdominal aorta.[2] It is vestigial in humans, but large in animals with tails, such as the crocodile.

See also

• Lateral sacral artery

Additional images

• 
  The iliac veins.
• 
  Scheme of the anastomosis of the veins of the rectum.
• 
  The relations of the viscera and large vessels of the abdomen.
• 
  Median sacral artery
• 
  Pelvic contents: male. Superior view. Deep dissection.
• 
  Median Sacral Artery

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 613 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)