Study of applied anatomy for interventional therapy of pelvic tumors

Objective To study the route of branches of the internal iliac artery for presenting basic applied anatomy to be used in pelvic tumor diagnosis and interventional therapy through angiographic manifestations. Methods The branches of the internal iliac artery were studied by means of dissection on 45 adult cadavers(30 male, 12 female), including the origin, length, external diameter and bifurcation angle; and additionally angiographic characteristics of pelvic tumors in 42 cases together with normal ones of another 50 cases through bilateral selective internal iliac arteriography. Results①The angle between left and right common iliac artery was (58.9°±7.3°),and that between the external and internal iliac artery was (27.6°±5.3°). Iliolumbar artery and obturator artery were mainly originated from the main trunk of internal iliac artery and the distal portion (50%, 84.8%).②The external diameter of the branches of the internal iliac artery measured on cadavers was significantly smaller than that on patients alive. Conclusions Normal variations occur frequently in the origination, site of orifice and route of the middle and small branches of the internal iliac artery.