Iliococcygeus muscle
Musculus iliococcygeus
- Related terms: Iliococcygeus; Levator ani (Iliococcygeus); Iliococcygeus (Levator ani)
Definition
Origin: Ischial spine and from the posterior part of the tendinous arch of the pelvic fascia
Insertion: Coccyx and anococcygeal raphe
Nerve: Levator ani nerve (S4) - inferior rectal nerve from pudendal nerve (S3, S4) - coccygeal plexus
Action: Supports the viscera in pelvic cavity
Description: The Iliococcygeus muscle is a part of the levator ani. It arises from the ischial spine and from the posterior part of the tendinous arch of the pelvic fascia, and is attached to the coccyx and anococcygeal raphé; it is usually thin, and may fail entirely, or be largely replaced by fibrous tissue. An accessory slip at its posterior part is sometimes named the Iliosacralis.
References
This definition incorporates text from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy (20th U.S. edition of Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body, published in 1918 – from http://www.bartleby.com/107/).
