Superior Vesical Artery, Superior View

Description

Arborizing across the superior surface of the urinary bladder, the superior vesical artery is shown in a superior view in an adult male, with multiple small branches spreading over the bladder dome (apex and adjacent body) in a fan-like pattern. Proximally, the vessel is typically traced back toward the patent portion of the umbilical artery arising from the anterior division of the internal iliac artery, then turning anteroinferiorly toward the vesical wall. Branches course anterior to the peritoneal reflection over the bladder and distribute medially across the midline while sending smaller arterioles laterally along the superior bladder surface. For pelvic surgeons, this angle is the one you think about when mobilizing the bladder during retropubic exposure or pelvic lymph node dissection, because superior vesical branches can be avulsed from the bladder serosa and bleed briskly with traction. The pattern also clarifies why bladder ischemia is uncommon but can occur after internal iliac ligation or pelvic radiotherapy, and it helps differentiate superior vesical supply to the bladder dome from the inferior vesical artery supplying the bladder base, prostate, and seminal vesicles. Use this artwork for teaching anterior pelvic vasculature in gross anatomy, urology, or gynecology modules, and for illustrating operative reports or textbook figures on cystotomy planning, bladder flap development, or pelvic hemorrhage control. It also suits exam items that ask learners to track internal iliac branches and predict the bladder territory at risk after embolization. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.