Introduction: The persistent axis artery is a rare embryological remnant of the axis artery which supplies the limb bud. It develops as a dorsal root of the umbilical artery and supplies the lower limb. It normally involutes when the femoral artery starts developing. Observation: We encountered a large, incomplete, persistent axis artery during routine dissection in a male cadaver which was aged approximately 70-years. The artery entered the gluteal region through the greater sciatic notch, below the pyriformis muscle. It gave off the inferior gluteal branches, the branches to the hip joint, the biceps femoris muscle, the sciatic nerve and the tibial nerve (high division of the sciatic nerve was noted). Throughout its course, it was accompanied by a vein which anastomosed with the tributaries of the femoral vein. Conclusion: Such a persistent axis artery is prone for aneurysm, thrombosis and embolism.
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