Superior anorectal artery
Arteria anorectalis superior
- Latin synonym: Arteria rectalis superior
- Synonym: Superior rectal artery; Superior hemorrhoidal artery
- Related terms: Superior rectal artery
Definition
The superior anorectal artery (superior hemorrhoidal artery) is the continuation of the inferior mesenteric. It descends into the pelvis between the layers of the mesentery of the sigmoid colon, crossing, in its course, the left common iliac vessels. It divides, opposite the third sacral vertebra, into two branches, which descend one on either side of the rectum, and about 10 or 12 cm. from the anus break up into several small branches. These pierce the muscular coat of the bowel and run downward, as straight vessels, placed at regular intervals from each other in the wall of the gut between its muscular and mucous coats, to the level of the sphincter ani internus; here they form a series of loops around the lower end of the rectum, and communicate with the middle anorectal branches of the internal iliac artery, and with the inferior anorectal branches of the internal pudendal artery.
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/).
