Variations of the arterial and venous pubic anastomoses (APA, VPA) wer
e studied. Forty-four percent of the APA were replaced by an obturator
artery arising from the inferior epigastric and 25% by an obturator a
rtery arising from the external iliac. Seven percent of the VPA were r
eplaced by a single obturator vein, 37% by the superior companion of a
double obturator vein, and 2% by a double obturator vein. Black South
African subjects exhibit a higher incidence of variations of the pubi
c anastomoses than North American, European and Japanese populations.