Superficial epigastric artery

Superficial epigastric artery
Scheme of the femoral artery with segments and branches. (Superficial epigastric artery labeled at upper left.)
The left femoral triangle. (Superficial epigastric vesseles labeled at center top.)
Details
SourceFemoral artery
VeinSuperficial epigastric vein
Identifiers
Latinarteria epigastrica superficialis
MeSHD019074
TA98A12.2.16.011
TA24675
FMA20734
Anatomical terminology

The superficial epigastric artery (not to be confused with the superior epigastric artery) arises from the front of the femoral artery about 1 cm below the inguinal ligament, and, passing through the femoral sheath and the fascia cribrosa, turns upward in front of the inguinal ligament, and ascends between the two layers of the superficial fascia of the abdominal wall nearly as far as the umbilicus.

It distributes branches to the superficial subinguinal lymph glands, the superficial fascia, and the integument; it anastomoses with branches of the inferior epigastric, and with its fellow of the opposite side.