Architectonics and morphometric characteristics of the internal iliac artery and its main branches

There are a large number of studies devoted to the study of the branching of the internal iliac artery, the authors of which tried to classify the variants of its architectonics using various criteria. To understand the possible options for the architectonics of the internal iliac artery, it is essential to consider it from the point of view of the morphogenesis of the vascular network of the small pelvis. The purpose of the study is to study the branching options and morphometric characteristics of the internal iliac artery, its main branches, to identify the most common atypical, morphogenetically determined variants and to determine the frequency of their occurrence. The study is based on the use of a complex of intravital (vital) and postvital anatomical methods. Data from computed tomographic angiograms were processed in 100 patients, and X-ray angiograms of the pelvic arteries were processed in 50 patients. Preparations were performed on 20 anatomical objects, and 38 anatomical preparations using polymer embalming methods were also studied. As a result of the study, it was found that in most cases the internal iliac artery departed from the common iliac artery at the level of the L5-S1 intervertebral disc (76%). The typical level of division of the internal iliac artery into the anterior and posterior trunks was the intervertebral disc S1-S2 (68%), atypical - at the level of the L5-S1, S2-S3 vertebrae. This variant of the architectonics of the studied artery was observed in 65.8% of cases (n=378). Atypical variants of architectonics can be divided into 3 groups: first - variants of the origin of the internal pudendal and inferior gluteal arteries (19.7%); the second - from the obturator artery (3%); the third - from the iliopsoas artery (12%). The length and diameter of the main, anterior and posterior trunks of the internal iliac artery, respectively, were: 31.3±14 mm and 5.9±0.8 mm; 58.5±13 mm and 3.21±0.9 mm; 48.2±14 mm and 5.2±0.9 mm. Thus, the topography, architectonics and morphometric parameters of the internal iliac artery have a wide range of variability, which should be taken into account when performing complex surgical interventions on the pelvic organs.