Variations in the Branching and Distribution of the Human Inferior Gluteal Artery Within an Anatolian Sub-Population

International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology | Vol. 15, No. 9, September 2026 | pp. 377–388

DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJAP/000199

Article Type: Original Research Article

Title: Variations in the Branching and Distribution of the Human Inferior Gluteal Artery Within an Anatolian Sub-Population

Names of Authors: Ahmet K. Yılmaz¹, Mehmet S. Çelik²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey; ²Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract:
The inferior gluteal artery (IGA) provides the primary arterial supply to the gluteus maximus muscle and participates in the crucial cruciate anastomosis of the hip joint. This study evaluated the variations in the origin and pelvic branching configurations of the IGA using 70 lower pelvis specimens from 35 adult cadavers. The origin of the IGA relative to the internal iliac artery trunks was classified according to Adachi’s system. The IGA originated as a common trunk with the internal pudendal artery (Adachi Type I) in 68.5% of cases (n = 48). It arose independently from the posterior division of the internal iliac artery in 18.5% of specimens (n = 13), and emerged from a common trunk with the superior gluteal artery (Adachi Type II) in 13.0% of limbs (n = 9). Extrapelvically, the IGA passed inferior to the piriformis muscle in 95.7% of cases, while a rare variation where the artery pierced the belly of the piriformis was observed in 4.3% of specimens (3 limbs). The mean diameter of the IGA at its exit through the greater sciatic foramen was 4.12 ± 0.35 mm. These anatomical configurations highlight that variations in the IGA origin are highly prevalent, requiring pre-procedural mapping before gluteus maximus myocutaneous flap designs or pelvic embolization procedures.

Keywords: Inferior Gluteal Artery, Internal Iliac Artery, Anatomical Variations, Piriformis Muscle, Pelvic Vasculature

Manuscript Timeline: Received: August 08, 2026; Revised: September 10, 2026; Accepted: September 21, 2026; Published: September 30, 2026

Citation: Yılmaz A.K., & Çelik M.S. (2026). Variations in the Branching and Distribution of the Human Inferior Gluteal Artery Within an Anatolian Sub-Population. International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology, 15(9), 377–388. DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJAP/000199

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