Corona mortis: An anatomic study in seven cadavers and an endoscopic study in 28 patients

The corona mortis is defined as the vascular connections between the obturator and external iliac systems. While detailed information on the arterial anastomoses in corona mortis is available, a complete description of the venous system is lacking. Although the tiny anastomoses behind the pubic symphysis between the obturator and external iliac arteries have been described in classical anatomy textbooks, these texts neglect to mention that these anastomoses can be life threatening. Attention needs to be paid to these anastomoses between the arterial and the venous system located over the superior pubic ramus during laparoscopic procedures. Fifty retroinguinal regions were dissected in seven cadavers and 28 patients. During the dissections, a venous anastomosis on the superior pubic ramus was a consistent finding in 96% of cases. This vein coursed vertically to the inferior border of the superior pubic ramus and connected to the obturator vein. Accessory branches of the obturator artery were observed in only 8% of the dissections. The tiny connections between the obturator and external iliac arteries are less important, since their diameter is