iliac artery

Main Entry: iliac artery
Function: noun
1 : either of the large arteries supplying blood to the lower trunk and hind limbs and arising by bifurcation of the aortawhich in humans occurs at the level of the fourth lumbar vertebra to form one vessel for each side of the body called also common iliac artery
2 : the outer branch of thecommon iliac artery on either side of the body that passes beneath the inguinal ligament to become the femoral artery called also external iliac artery
3 : the inner branchof the common iliac artery on either side of the body that soon breaks into several branches and supplies blood chiefly to the pelvic and gluteal areas called also hypogastric artery,internal iliac artery

iliac artery n.

1. One of two terminal branches of the abdominal aorta, becoming the internal iliac artery and giving off the external iliac artery; common iliac artery.

2. An artery with its origin in the common iliac artery, with branches to the inferior epigastric and deep circumflex iliac arteries, becoming the femoral artery at the inguinal ligament; external iliac artery.

3. An artery with its origin in the common iliac artery, with branches to the iliolumbar, lateral sacral, obturator, superior gluteal, inferior gluteal, umbilical, superior vesical, inferior vesical, and middle rectal arteries, usually dividing into anterior and posterior arteries; hypogastric artery.