THE BRANCHING PATTERN OF THE INTERNAL ILIAC ARTERY IN SOUTH INDIAN POPULATION Savita Kumari * 1 , MS Trinesh gowda 2 .  *1 PG student (2012-15), Department of Anatomy, Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, Mandya, Karnataka, India. 2 Professor and Head, Department of Anatomy, Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, Mandya, Karnataka, India. Correspondence   Address:   Dr   savita   Kumari,   PG   student   (2012-15),   Department   of   Anatomy,   Mandya   Institute   of   Medical   Sciences,   Mandya,Karnataka, India. E-Mail:  savdev08@gmail.com ABSTRACT Background:   The   internal   iliac   artery   is   the   “artery   of   the   pelvis”.   It   begins   at   the   common   iliac   bifurcation   at   the   level   of   the   lumbosacral   intervertebal   disc at   the   superior   margin   of   the   greater   sciatic   foramen   where   it   divides   into   an   anterior   trunk   and   posterior   trunk,   which   passes   back   to   the   greater   sciatic foramen.   The   anterior   trunk,   branches   of   internal   iliac   artery   are   superior   vesical   artery,   inferior   vesical   artery,   middle   rectal   artery,   obturator   artery,   vaginal artery,   uterine   artery,   internal   pudendal   and   inferior   gluteal   arteries.   The   branches   of   the   posterior   division   are   iliolumbar,   lateral   sacral   and   superior   gluteal artery.   Knowledge   of   the   anatomical   variation   is   beneficial   for   the   vascular   surgeons   &   gynecologists   for   ligating   the   internal   iliac   artery   or   its   branches during   the   pelvic   surgery   and   also   for   the   radiologists   to   perform   and   interpret   angiograms   of   the   pelvic   region.   Hence   the   present   study   was   undertaken   to present the anatomical knowledge of branching pattern of  internal iliac arteries. Materials   and   Methods:   The   present   study   was   performed   on   50   bisected   pelvises   from   embalmed   human   cadavers   of   both   genders   from   Department   of Anatomy,   Mandya   Institute   of   Medical   Sciences   Mandya.   The   internal   iliac   artery   was   identified,   finer   dissections   were   made,   and   branching   pattern   and   its variation were recorded and photographed using a digital camera. Results:   The   branching   pattern   of   internal   iliac   artery   was   classified   in   the   modified   Adachi   classification.   Out   of   50   adult   human   pelvis   specimens,   Type   1a arrangement noted in 68% of specimens, Type II in 10%, Type III in 16% and Type IV in 6%. Type V was not found in any specimens.. 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