Review Question - QID 2912

The "corona mortis" (translated as “crown of death”) artery is a vascular variant that joins the external illiac and the obturator artery as it crosses the superior pubic ramus. Tornetta et al did a study where "fifty cadaver halves were dissected to determine the occurrence and location of the corona mortis. Anastomoses between the obturator and external iliac systems occurred in 84% of the specimens. Thirty-four percent had an arterial connection, 70% had a venous connection, and 20% had both. The distance from the symphysis to the anastomotic vessels averaged 6.2 cm (range, 3-9 cm)." The corona mortis can be injured in superior ramus fractures and iatrogenically while plating pelvic ring injuries using the ilioinguinal approach.