The external pudendal arteries are a pair of blood vessels of the inguinal region, supplying the skin of the pubic and genital area. Although in some individuals there are three arteries, in most cases there are only two blood vessels. They are 1) the superficial external pudendal and 2) the deep external pudendal artery. They both originate from the first portion of femoral artery.
1) The superficial external pudendal artery. It arises from the medial surface of femoral artery, right below the inguinal ligament. Then it pierces the superficial fascia of thigh (cribriform fascia) and runs medially across the spermatic cord, ascending to the suprapubic region (lower part of abdomen, where it branches to supply the skin above the genital region.
2) The deep external pudendal artery. It also originates from the medial side of femoral artery, just below the site of origin of the superficial external pudendal. Then it runs over the pectineus muscle, pierces the fascia of thigh and approaches the scrotum where it forks into either the scrotal branches (in males) or labial branches (in females), supplying the skin of this region. Some of these terminal branches anastomoses with branches of the internal pudendal artery.
Below, image of thigh and inguinal region, showing the two external pudendal arteries arising from the femoral artery.
