Inferior rectal artery

Inferior rectal artery
The inferior rectal arteries(unlabeled) surround the anus.
The blood vessels of the rectum and anus, showing the distribution and anastomosis on the posterior surface near the termination of the gut. (Labeled as hemorrhoidal artery.)
Details
Source	Internal pudendal artery
Vein	Inferior rectal veins
Supplies	Anal canal
Identifiers
Latin	arteria rectalis inferior, arteria haemorrhoidalis inferior
TA98	A12.2.15.039
TA2	4342
FMA	20824
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The inferior rectal artery (inferior hemorrhoidal artery) is an artery that supplies blood to the lower third of the anal canal below the pectinate line.

Structure

The inferior rectal artery arises from the internal pudendal artery as it passes above the ischial tuberosity.

Piercing the wall of the pudendal canal, it divides into two or three branches which cross the ischioanal fossa, and are distributed to the muscles and integument of the anal region, and send offshoots around the lower edge of the gluteus maximus to the skin of the buttock.

They anastomose with the corresponding vessels of the opposite side, with the superior and middle rectal arteries, and with the perineal artery.

Function

The inferior rectal artery supplies oxygenated blood to the anal sphincter and the lower third of the anal canal below the pectinate line.^[1][2]

Additional images

• 
  The perineum. The integument and superficial layer of superficial fascia reflected.

See also

• Superior rectal artery
• Middle rectal artery
• Inferior rectal nerve

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 619 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

External links

• Anatomy figure: 41:04-05 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Inferior view of female perineum, branches of the internal pudendal artery."
• Anatomy figure: 42:03-05 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Branches of internal pudendal artery in the male perineum."
• Anatomy image:9077 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center
• Anatomy image:9085 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center
• perineum at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (analtriangle3)
• figures/chapter_32/32-2.HTM: Basic Human Anatomy at Dartmouth Medical School
• figures/chapter_32/32-3.HTM: Basic Human Anatomy at Dartmouth Medical School

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