Lumbar arteries are parietal paired arteries. These arise in series with aortic intercostal arteries and are similar in origin and distribution.
There are 6 pairs of lumbar arteries. Of which, the first arise from the aorta and sixth arises from the internal iliac artery.
They arises from the dorsal face of the aorta, pass across the bodies of lumbar vertebrae gain the intertransverse spaces and divides into dorsal and ventral branches.
The dorsal or lumbo-spinal branches are larger.
They supply spinal branches to reinforce the ventral spinal artery and muscular branches to supply the muscles of the loins.
The ventral branches supply the abdominal muscles and skin.
