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Case Reports
. 2020 Jul 30;10(8):546.
doi: 10.3390/diagnostics10080546.

Frequency and Clinical Review of the Aberrant Obturator Artery: A Cadaveric Study

Guinevere Granite  1 , Keiko Meshida  2 , Gary Wind  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Frequency and Clinical Review of the Aberrant Obturator Artery: A Cadaveric Study

Guinevere Granite et al. Diagnostics (Basel). .

Abstract

The occurrence of an aberrant obturator artery is common in human anatomy. Detailed knowledge of this anatomical variation is important for the outcome of pelvic and groin surgeries requiring appropriate ligation. Familiarity with the occurrence of an aberrant obturator artery is equally important for instructors teaching pelvic anatomy to students. Case studies highlighting this vascular variation provide anatomical instructors and surgeons with accurate information on how to identify such variants and their prevalence. Seven out of eighteen individuals studied (38.9%) exhibited an aberrant obturator artery, with two of those individuals presenting with bilateral aberrant obturator arteries (11.1%). Six of these individuals had an aberrant obturator artery that originated from the deep inferior epigastric artery (33.3%). One individual had an aberrant obturator artery that originated directly from the external iliac artery (5.6%).

Keywords: aberrant obturator artery; anatomical variations; external iliac branching variations; internal iliac branching variations.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Illustrative schematic of the most common type of the aberrant obturator artery.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Facilitated display highlighting the left internal iliac artery branches with the left aberrant obturator artery for Case 1. LAOA = Left Aberrant Obturator Artery; LAOAB = Left Accessory Obturator Artery Branch; LAOV = Left Aberrant Obturator Vein; LDIEA = Left Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery; LDIEV = Left Deep Inferior Epigastric Vein; LEIA = Left External Iliac Artery; LEIV = Left External Iliac Vein; LIGA = Left Inferior Gluteal Artery; LIIA = Left Internal Iliac Artery; LILSA = Left Inferior Lateral Sacral Artery; LIPA = Left Internal Pudendal Artery; LIVA = Left Inferior Vesical Artery; LMRA = Left Middle Rectal Artery; LON = Left Obturator Nerve; LPA = Left Prostatic Artery; LSGA = Left Superior Gluteal Artery; LSLSA = Left Superior Lateral Sacral Artery; LSVA = Left Superior Vesical Artery; LUA = Left Umbilical Artery. The Left Iliolumbar Artery (LILA) is not pictured.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Facilitated display highlighting the left internal iliac artery branches with the left aberrant obturator artery for Case 2. LAOA = Left Aberrant Obturator Artery; LCIA = Left Common Iliac Artery; LDIEA = Left Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery; LEIA = Left External Iliac Artery; LIGA = Left Inferior Gluteal Artery; LIIA = Left Internal Iliac Artery; LIPA = Left Internal Pudendal Artery; LIVA = Left Inferior Vesical Artery; LON = Left Obturator Nerve; LSGA = Left Superior Gluteal Artery; LSVA = Left Superior Vesical Artery; LUA = Left Umbilical Artery. The Left Iliolumbar Artery (LILA), Left Superior Lateral Sacral Artery (LSLSA), Left Inferior Lateral Sacral Artery (LILSA), and the Left Middle Rectal Artery (LMRA) are not pictured.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Facilitated display highlighting the right internal iliac artery branches with the right aberrant obturator artery for Case 2. RAOA = Right Aberrant Obturator Artery; RCIA = Right Common Iliac Artery; RDIEA = Right Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery; REIA = Right External Iliac Artery; RIIA = Right Internal Iliac Artery; RIVA = Right Inferior Vesical Artery; RON = Right Obturator Nerve; RMVA = Right Middle Vesical Artery; RSGA = Right Superior Gluteal Artery; RSLSA = Right Superior Lateral Sacral Artery; RSVA = Right Superior Vesical Artery; RUA = Right Umbilical Artery. The Right Inferior Gluteal Artery (RIGA), Right Iliolumbar Artery (RILA), Right Inferior Lateral Sacral Artery (RILSA), Right Internal Pudendal Artery (RIPA), and the Right Middle Rectal Artery (RMRA) are not pictured.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Facilitated display highlighting the left internal iliac artery branches with the left aberrant obturator artery for Case 3. LAOA = Left Aberrant Obturator Artery; LDIEA = Left Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery; LEIA = Left External Iliac Artery; LIGA = Left Inferior Gluteal Artery; LIIA = Left Internal Iliac Artery; LILA = Left Iliolumbar Artery; LILSA = Left Inferior Lateral Sacral Artery; LIPA = Left Internal Pudendal Artery; LMRA = Left Middle Rectal Artery; LON = Left Obturator Nerve; LSGA = Left Superior Gluteal Artery; LSLSA = Left Superior Lateral Sacral Artery; LSVA = Left Superior Vesical Artery; LUA = Left Umbilical Artery; LUTA = Left Uterine Artery; LVA = Left Vaginal Artery.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Facilitated display highlighting the left internal iliac artery branches with the left aberrant obturator artery for Case 4. LAOA = Left Aberrant Obturator Artery; LAOV = Left Aberrant Obturator Vein; LCIA = Left Common Iliac Artery; LCIV = Left Common Iliac Vein; LDIEA = Left Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery; LDIEV = Left Deep Inferior Epigastric Vein; LEIA = Left External Iliac Artery; LEIV = Left External Iliac Vein; LIGA = Left Inferior Gluteal Artery; LIIA = Left Internal Iliac Artery; LILSA = Left Inferior Lateral Sacral Artery; LIPA = Left Internal Pudendal Artery; LMRA = Left Middle Rectal Artery; LON = Left Obturator Nerve; LSGA = Left Superior Gluteal Artery; LSLSA = Left Superior Lateral Sacral Artery; LSVA = Left Superior Vesical Artery; LUA = Left Umbilical Artery; LUTA = Left Uterine Artery. The Left Iliolumbar Artery (LILA) and the Left Vaginal Artery are not pictured.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Facilitated display highlighting the right internal iliac artery branches for Case 4. RCIA = Right Common Iliac Artery; REIA = Right External Iliac Artery; REIV = Right External Iliac Vein; RIIA = Right Internal Iliac Artery; RILA = Right Iliolumbar Artery; RILSA = Right Inferior Lateral Sacral Artery; RIPA = Right Internal Pudendal Artery; RMRA = Right Middle Rectal Artery; ROA = Right Obturator Artery; RON = Right Obturator Nerve; RSGA = Right Superior Gluteal Artery; RSLSA = Right Superior Lateral Sacral Artery; RSVA = Right Superior Vesical Artery; RUA = Right Umbilical Artery; RUTA = Right Uterine Artery. The Right Inferior Gluteal Artery (RIGA) and Right Vaginal Artery (RVA) are not pictured.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Facilitated display highlighting the left internal iliac artery branches with the left aberrant obturator artery for Case 5. LAOA = Left Aberrant Obturator Artery; LAOAB = Left Accessory Obturator Artery Branch; LCIA = Left Common Iliac Artery; LDIEA = Left Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery; LDIEV = Left Deep Inferior Epigastric Vein; LEIA = Left External Iliac Artery; LEIV = Left External Iliac Vein; LIGA = Left Inferior Gluteal Artery; LIIA = Left Internal Iliac Artery; LILA = Left Iliolumbar Artery; LILSA = Left Inferior Lateral Sacral Artery; LIPA = Left Internal Pudendal Artery; LMRA = Left Middle Rectal Artery; LSVA = Left Superior Vesical Artery; LON = Left Obturator Nerve; LSGA = Left Superior Gluteal Artery; LSLSA = Left Superior Lateral Sacral Artery; LUA = Left Umbilical Artery; LUTA = Left Uterine Artery; LVA = Left Vaginal Artery.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Facilitated display highlighting the right internal iliac artery branches with the right aberrant obturator artery for Case 5. RAOA = Right Aberrant Obturator Artery; RAOAB = Right Accessory Obturator Artery Branch; RCIA = Right Common Iliac Artery; RCIV = Right Common Iliac Vein; RDIEA = Right Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery; RDIEV = Right Deep Inferior Epigastric Vein; REIA = Right External Iliac Artery; REIV = Right External Iliac Vein; RIGA = Right Inferior Gluteal Artery; RIIA = Right Internal Iliac Artery; RILA = Right Iliolumbar Artery; RILSA = Right Inferior Lateral Sacral Artery; RIPA = Right Internal Pudendal Artery; RMRA = Right Middle Rectal Artery; ROA = Right Obturator Artery; RON = Right Obturator Nerve; RSGA = Right Superior Gluteal Artery; RSLSA = Right Superior Lateral Sacral Artery; RSVA = Right Superior Vesical Artery; RUA = Right Umbilical Artery; RUTA = Right Uterine Artery; RVA = Right Vaginal Artery.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Facilitated display highlighting the left internal iliac artery branches for Case 6. ALILSA = Accessory Left Inferior Lateral Sacral Artery; LCIA = Left Common Iliac Artery; LCIV = Left Common Iliac Vein; LDIEA = Left Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery; LEIA = Left External Iliac Artery; LEIV = Left External Iliac Vein; LIIA = Left Internal Iliac Artery; LIGA = Left Inferior Gluteal Artery; LIIV = Left Internal Iliac Vein; LILA = Left Iliolumbar Artery; LILSA = Left Inferior Lateral Sacral Artery; LIPA = Left Internal Pudendal Artery; LMRA = Left Middle Rectal Artery; LOA = Left Obturator Artery; LON = Left Obturator Nerve; LOV = Left Obturator Vein; LSGA = Left Superior Gluteal Artery; LSLSA = Left Superior Lateral Sacral Artery; LSVA = Left Superior Vesical Artery; LUA = Left Umbilical Artery; LUTA = Left Uterine Artery; LVA = Left Vaginal Artery.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Facilitated display highlighting the right internal iliac artery branches with the right aberrant obturator artery for Case 6. RAOA = Right Aberrant Obturator Artery; RAOV = Right Aberrant Obturator Vein; RCIA = Right Common Iliac Artery; RCIV = Right Common Iliac Vein; RDIEA = Right Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery; RDIEV = Right Deep Inferior Epigastric Vein; REIA = Right External Iliac Artery; REIV = Right External Iliac Vein; RIIA = Right Internal Iliac Artery; RILA = Right Iliolumbar Artery; RILSA = Right Inferior Lateral Sacral Artery; RMRA = Right Middle Rectal Artery; RON = Right Obturator Nerve; RSGA = Right Superior Gluteal Artery; RSLSA = Right Superior Lateral Sacral Artery; RSVA = Right Superior Vesical Artery; RUA = Right Umbilical Artery; RUTA = Right Uterine Artery; RVA = Right Vaginal Artery. The Right Inferior Gluteal Artery (RIGA) and the Right Internal Pudendal Artery (RIPA) are not pictured.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Facilitated display highlighting the right internal iliac artery branches with the right aberrant obturator artery for Case 7. RAOA = Right Aberrant Obturator Artery; RDIEA = Right Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery; REIA = Right External Iliac Artery; RIGA = Right Inferior Gluteal Artery; RIIA = Right Internal Iliac Artery; RIPA = Right Internal Pudendal Artery; RIVA = Right Inferior Vesical Artery; RMRA = Right Middle Rectal Artery; RMVA = Right Middle Vesical Artery; RON = Right Obturator Nerve; RSVA = Right Superior Vesical Artery; RUA = Right Umbilical Artery. The Right Iliolumbar Artery (RILA), Right Inferior Lateral Sacral Artery (RILSA), Right Superior Gluteal Artery (RSGA), and the Right Superior Lateral Sacral Artery (RSLSA) are not pictured.
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