Inferior gluteal artery

The inferior gluteal artery (also known as sciatic artery, Latin: arteria glutaea inferior) is a vessel that arises from the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery. It supplies arterial blood to the following pelvic muscles: gluteus maximus, piriformis, obturator internus, superior and inferior gemellus, and quadratus femoris.

The inferior gluteal artery passes downward between the second and third sacral segments (sacral vertebrae) on the sacral plexus. Then the artery exits the pelvic cavity via the infrapiriform foramen, and further ramifies within the gluteal region muscles. Besides supplying the mentioned muscles, the inferior gluteal artery gives off a branch to the sciatic nerve (or ischiadic nerve).