Common iliac artery (left) (Arteria iliaca communis)

Layer: Vessels

Educational content only — not medical advice.

Anatomy

The paired branches of the aortic bifurcation at L4, descending briefly to divide at the sacroiliac joint into external (for the limb) and internal (for the pelvis) iliac arteries; ureters and autonomic plexuses accompany its course.

Clinical notes

Post-aortic-surgery common-iliac aneurysm threatens rupture; acute thrombosis devascularises the whole limb unless urgently revascularised, and chronic ureteric compression hydronephroses the kidney.

Related structures

Educational references

FAQ

What is the role of the Common iliac artery (left)?

The paired branches of the aortic bifurcation at L4, descending briefly to divide at the sacroiliac joint into external (for the limb) and internal (for the pelvis) iliac arteries; ureters and autonomic plexuses accompany its course.

Why is the Common iliac artery (left) clinically important?

Post-aortic-surgery common-iliac aneurysm threatens rupture; acute thrombosis devascularises the whole limb unless urgently revascularised, and chronic ureteric compression hydronephroses the kidney.

Source & license

BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). license details