Inferior_epigastric_artery
Inferior epigastric artery
Blood vessel
In human anatomy, the inferior epigastric artery is an artery that arises from the external iliac artery.[1]: 225 It is accompanied by the inferior epigastric vein; inferiorly, these two inferior epigastric vessels together travel within the lateral umbilical fold (which represents the lateral border of Hesselbach's triangle, the area through which direct inguinal hernias protrude.[2]) The inferior epigastric artery then traverses the arcuate line of rectus sheath to enter the rectus sheath,[1]: 234 then anastomoses with the superior epigastric artery within the rectus sheath.[1]: 225