The obturator artery is the primary supply to the adductor compartment muscles and provides the acetabular branch (via the ligamentum teres) to the femoral head. The corona mortis — an anomalous communication between the obturator and the inferior epigastric artery passing over the superior pubic ramus — is present in 20-30% of individuals and is a potentially fatal structure during pelvic fracture fixation.
| Origin | Anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery (or from the inferior epigastric — corona mortis variant in 20-30%) |
|---|
The corona mortis (crown of death) is the obturator-epigastric anastomosis passing over the superior pubic ramus at the 3-4 cm lateral to the pubic symphysis — present in 20-30% and up to 8 mm diameter. Division during lateral window of Stoppa approach for acetabular fracture or pubic ramus ORIF produces massive haemorrhage. It must be identified and ligated prophylactically before superior pubic ramus dissection.
Inadvertent division of the obturator-epigastric anastomosis during pelvic fracture surgery producing life-threatening haemorrhage managed with prophylactic ligation during exposure.
This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Some are essential for site functionality, while others help us analyze and improve your usage experience. Please review your options and make your choice.
If you are under 16 years old, please ensure that you have received consent from your parent or guardian for any non-essential cookies.
Your privacy is important to us. You can adjust your cookie settings at any time. For more information about how we use data, please read our privacy policy. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking on the settings button below.
Note that if you choose to disable some types of cookies, it may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Some required resources have been blocked, which can affect third-party services and may cause the site to not function properly.
This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and ensure the site functions properly. By continuing to use this site, you acknowledge and accept our use of cookies.
