The middle rectal artery is an

artery An artery () is a blood vessel in humans and most other animals that takes oxygenated blood away from the heart in the systemic circulation to one or more parts of the body. Exceptions that carry deoxygenated blood are the pulmonary arteries in ...

in the pelvis that supplies blood to the

rectum The rectum (: rectums or recta) is the final straight portion of the large intestine in humans and some other mammals, and the gut in others. Before expulsion through the anus or cloaca, the rectum stores the feces temporarily. The adult ...

Structure

The middle rectal artery usually arises from the

internal iliac artery The internal iliac artery (formerly known as the hypogastric artery) is the main artery of the pelvis. Structure The internal iliac artery supplies the walls and viscera of the pelvis, the buttock, the reproductive organs, and the medial com ...

. It is distributed to the

above the

pectinate line The pectinate line (dentate line) is a line which divides the upper two-thirds and lower third of the anal canal. Developmentally, this line represents the hindgut- proctodeum junction. It is an important anatomical landmark in humans, and fo ...

. It

anastomoses An anastomosis (, : anastomoses) is a connection or opening between two things (especially cavities or passages) that are normally diverging or branching, such as between blood vessels, leaf#Veins, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection may be ...

with the

inferior vesical artery The inferior vesical artery (or inferior vesical artery) is an artery of the pelvis which arises from the internal iliac artery and supplies parts of the urinary bladder as well as other structures of the urinary system and structures of the male ...

superior rectal artery The superior rectal artery (superior hemorrhoidal artery) is an artery that descends into the pelvis to supply blood to the rectum. Structure The superior rectal artery is the continuation of the inferior mesenteric artery. It descends into the ...

, and

inferior rectal artery The inferior rectal artery (inferior hemorrhoidal artery) is an artery that supplies blood to the lower third of the anal canal below the pectinate line. Structure The inferior rectal artery arises from the internal pudendal artery as it passes ab ...

. In males, the middle rectal artery may give off branches to the

prostate The prostate is an male accessory gland, accessory gland of the male reproductive system and a muscle-driven mechanical switch between urination and ejaculation. It is found in all male mammals. It differs between species anatomically, chemica ...

and the

seminal vesicle The seminal vesicles (also called vesicular glands or seminal glands) are a pair of convoluted tubular accessory glands that lie behind the urinary bladder of male mammals. They secrete fluid that largely composes the semen. The vesicles are 5 ...

s. In females, the middle rectal artery gives off branches to the

vagina In mammals and other animals, the vagina (: vaginas or vaginae) is the elastic, muscular sex organ, reproductive organ of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vulval vestibule to the cervix (neck of the uterus). The #Vag ...

Function

The middle rectal artery supplies the

and the anal canal inferior to the

Pathology

The middle rectal artery may be embolized to treat patients with symptomatic internal hemorrhoids in a procedure called

hemorrhoidal artery embolization Hemorrhoidal artery embolization (HAE, or hemorrhoid artery embolization) is a non-surgical treatment of internal hemorrhoids. The procedure involves blocking the abnormal blood flow to the rectal (hemorrhoidal) arteries using microcoils and/or ...

Additional images

File:Gray538.png, Sigmoid colon and rectum, showing distribution of branches of inferior mesenteric artery and their anastomoses. File:Middle rectal artery.jpg, Middle rectal artery

References

External links