ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the variation in origin of the obturator artery and incidences of arterial and venous corona mortis among Northeast Thais. Methods: Dissection of 204 cadaveric Northeast Thai pelvic halves between 20 and 95 years-old at decease. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results: The respective origin of the obturator artery was the internal iliac (77.5%) and inferior epigastric arteries (22.5%), while double origins (from both arteries) in one pelvic half and bilateral abnormal origins (from the inferior epigastric arteries) were 5.4 and 9.6 percent, respectively. Sex and side made no significant difference (P>0.05). The occurrence of the arterial corona mortis, venous corona mortis and both structures was 22.5, 70.6 and 17.2 percent, respectively. The arterial corona mortis while crossing over the iliopubic ramus was frequently found anterior to the venous corona mortis. Conclusion: The incidence of an anomalous obturator artery forming the arterial corona mortis among Northeast Thais was 22.5% although a venous corona mortis (70.6%) was more frequent. Seventeen percent had both arterial and venous corona mortis. Nevertheless, both their courses, crossing over the iliopubic rami, would be at risk of damage during an ilioinguinal approach or operation of the anterior ring of the pelvis.