- See:
inferior gluteal artery
- Discussion:
- major blood supply to
gluteus medius and
minimus;
- superior gluteal artery and nerve leave the pelvis above
piriformis;
- emerges above piriformis, after passing thru
greater sciatic foramen;
- once pass the notch, it divides into:
-
superficial branch supplying
maximus;
-
deep branch
- enters deep surface of medius in intermuscular plane between
medius,
gluteus minimus, & tensor fasciae lata;
- this attachment tethers muscle limiting amount of upward retraction of
muscle and prevents one from reaching the iliac crest;
- arterial branches reach as far as the anterior superior iliac spine.
- terminal branches anastomose w/ ascending branch of
LFCA ;
- Hazards:
- superior gluteal artery appears to be vulnerable to a shearing force because of acute angulation of
vessel as it passes out of pelvis;
- superior gluteal artery may be severed by sharp fascia of
piriformis,
even w/ a minimally displaced frx;
- superior gluteal artery is at risk during operative procedures on
greater sciatic foramen ;
Spontaneous gluteal artery rupture resulting in compartment syndrome and sciatic neuropathy. Report of a case in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
The Superior Gluteal Artery in Complex Acetabular Procedures.
A Cadaveric Angiographic Study.
Preoperative angiographic assessment of the superior gluteal artery in acetabular fractures requiring extensile surgical exposures.
