Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Middle rectal artery
Introduction
The middle rectal artery is an artery in the pelvis that supplies blood to the rectum.
Structure
Structure
The middle rectal artery usually arises with the inferior vesical artery, a branch of the internal iliac artery. It is distributed to the rectum, anastomosing with the inferior vesical artery, superior rectal artery, and inferior rectal artery.
In males, the middle rectal artery may give off branches to the prostate and the seminal vesicles, while in females it gives off branches to the vagina.
Additional images
Additional images
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Sigmoid colon and rectum, showing distribution of branches of inferior mesenteric artery and their anastomoses.
External links
External links
- Template:SUNYAnatomyLabs – “The Female Pelvis: Branches of Internal Iliac Artery”
- Template:NormanAnatomy (Template:NormanAnatomyFig)
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]