A study of the arterial supply of the human acetabulum using a corrosion casting method

Abstract

This anatomical study concerns the arterial supply of the human acetabulum. The purpose is to contribute to prevention of postoperative necrosis of the acetabular bone fragment after rotational acetabular osteotomy (RAO). The arterial supply of the acetabulum was determined using a corrosion casting method. The acetabular branch of the obturator artery supplies the acetabulum through the acetabular notch. The pubic branches supply the pelvic surface of the acetabulum. Deep branches of the superior gluteal artery supply the superior region and the inferior gluteal artery supplies the postero-inferior region. From these results, we recognized that the important artery for achieving successful RAO is the acetabular branch of the obturator artery that supplies the acetabulum through the acetabular notch.