Trunk vessels (aorta, vena cava, abdominal branches)
Internal iliac veins (hypogastric)
Vena iliaca interna (Vena hypogastrica)
- Origin
- Formed near the greater sciatic foramen by the confluence of parietal and visceral pelvic venous plexuses (vesical, prostatic/uterine, rectal)
- Insertion
- Ascends posteromedial to the internal iliac artery to join the external iliac vein forming the common iliac vein
- Function
- Drains the pelvic viscera, pelvic floor, perineum, and gluteal region
- Innervation
- Inferior hypogastric plexus
- Movement & chain
- Low-pressure valveless venous network
- Palpation
- Not palpated directly
- Clinical
- Pelvic congestion syndrome (chronic dull pelvic pain from pelvic venous incompetence and varicosities, managed by coil embolization), septic pelvic thrombophlebitis postpartum.
- Segmental innervation
- S2-S4 spinal levels
- In clinical practice
- MR venography imaging preparation, IV heparin and broad-spectrum antibiotics in septic pelvic thrombophlebitis
- Region in the model
- Trunk vessels (aorta, vena cava, abdominal branches)