The anatomy of the common iliac artery: a meta-analysis based on 5785 cases

The common iliac arteries (CIA) are the main finals branches of the abdominal aorta. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to demonstrate the most up-to-date and evidence-based data regarding the general anatomy of the CIAs, including their length, take-off angles, and diameters. PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched to find all studies considering the anatomy of the CIA. Eligibility assessment and data extraction stages were performed. The results of the measurements in a total of 5785 patients were evaluated and included in the statistical analysis. The prevalence of the origin variations of the CIA has been evaluated. CIA was found to most commonly originate at the level of L4 vertebrae with a pooled prevalence of 59.49% (95% CI 48.00-70.50%). The overall mean length of the CIA was 5.59 mm (SE: 0.13), and the mean diameter of the CIA was 10.52 mm (SE: 0.85). The knowledge of the anatomy and variations of the CIA is crucial in lumbar spine surgery, especially when performing the anterolateral approach to L4 and L5 vertebrae. Furthermore, the level of the aortic bifurcation has significant implications related to vascular surgery in this region. We performed the present meta-analysis to standardize the extensive information on the anatomy of the CIAs.