During an open femoral hernia repair, brisk haemorrhage occurs from a vessel crossing the pectineal ligament close to the lacunar ligament when the surgeon incises the medial margin of the femoral ring. This vessel is the corona mortis. It represents an anastomosis between which systems?

• A Superficial epigastric artery and superficial circumflex iliac artery
• B Obturator artery and internal pudendal artery
• C Obturator artery and inferior epigastric or external iliac artery ✓
• D Inferior vesical artery and uterine artery

Explanation

The corona mortis is an aberrant communicating vessel, arterial, venous or both, linking the external iliac or inferior epigastric vessels with the obturator vessels across the pelvic brim near the lacunar ligament. It can be mistaken for the normal obturator artery, and avulsion causes bleeding that retracts into the pelvis and is difficult to control. Its name reflects this danger. The remaining pairs are unrelated to the femoral ring and do not cross the pectineal ligament.

Reference: Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice, 42nd ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.