Aberrant Origin of Obturator Artery- A Case Report

Abstract

The medial compartment of thigh is nourished by a branch from anterior division of internal iliac artery called Obturator Artery (OA). However, many studies have documented variation in the origin of the artery from other neighboring vessels. Hence, any deviation from the normal pattern should be acknowledged to prevent any injuries during herniorrhaphy or other pelvic procedures. The study was conducted on a pelvis of female cadaver of age 55 years. Length of the artery and its distance from the bifurcation of common iliac artery using the measuring tape were noted. OA was seen to be originating from the inferior epigastric artery bilaterally along with several unusual but significant branches budding from it. The case report shows variant of OA which is of academics interest to students, anatomists, radiologist, general and orthopedic surgeons. Further dissection of more number of pelvic specimens might help to assess the frequency or prevalence of the variation.