Clinical importance of variability in the branching pattern of the internal iliac artery - An updated and comprehensive review with a new classification proposal.

The main aim of this study is to present, describe and compare the most significant anatomical classifications of the internal iliac artery (IIA) and its branches, their pros and cons, to relate them to clinical practice and note their clinical importance, and to offer a new classification based on number of main vessels origins. Many classifications covering the detailed morphology of the IIA have been developed, focusing on the destination of vessels making it possible to determine the name and type of branching precisely. However, because the allocation criteria are overdetailed and of doubtful accuracy, these classifications have become impractical for clinical practice and advanced statistical calculations. The argument of this research paper is that highly variable vascularized regions should be classified from either an anatomical point of view to determine detailed morphology aspects or a clinical perspective. Presented classification proposes unification of many branching types presented among various classifications, which look identical when determining the origin pattern from the main vessel and differ only in the destination point of the vessel, what brings clarity and increases the statistical usefulness of the collected data. This should translate into better cooperation between scientists and clinicians and thus benefit patients. The paper proposes a new, clinically useful classification based on the model of vessel origins from the main stem. The IIA is the main vascular supply to the pelvic region, so precise knowledge of origin and its branching pattern is essential for all clinicians, especially for general and orthopaedic surgeons, gynecologists, obstetricians and urologists.