Variant obturator vessels

Author(s): Satheesha Nayak B.* and Soumya KV

The obturator artery is a branch of anterior division of the internal iliac artery. However, in about 20% of cases it is replaced by the pubic branch of inferior epigastric artery, which is then known as abnormal obturator artery. The knowledge of abnormal obturator artery is of importance to the surgeons reducing the femoral hernia as it runs across the lacunar ligament. We saw an anomalous obturator artery arising from the external iliac artery. The obturator vein is usually a tributary of internal iliac vein. In the current case, the vein terminated in the external iliac vein. The knowledge of this variation is important anatomically, radiologically and surgically.

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