The perforating arteries are branches of the deep artery of the thigh, usually three in number, so named because they perforate the tendon of the

adductor magnus The adductor magnus is a large triangular muscle, situated on the medial side of the thigh. It consists of two parts. The portion which arises from the ischiopubic ramus (a small part of the inferior ramus of the pubis, and the inferior ramu ...

to reach the back of the

thigh In anatomy, the thigh is the area between the hip (pelvis) and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb. The single bone in the thigh is called the femur. This bone is very thick and strong (due to the high proportion of bone tissu ...

. They pass backward near the

linea aspera The linea aspera () is a ridge of roughened surface on the posterior surface of the shaft of the femur. It is the site of attachments of muscles and the intermuscular septum. Its margins diverge above and below. The linea aspera is a prominent ...

of the

femur The femur (; : femurs or femora ), or thigh bone is the only long bone, bone in the thigh — the region of the lower limb between the hip and the knee. In many quadrupeds, four-legged animals the femur is the upper bone of the hindleg. The Femo ...

underneath the small tendinous arches of the adductor magnus muscle. The first perforating artery arises from the deep artery of the thigh above the

adductor brevis The adductor brevis is a muscle in the thigh situated immediately deep to the pectineus and adductor longus. It belongs to the adductor muscle group. The main function of the adductor brevis is to pull the thigh medially. The adductor brevi ...

, the second in front of this muscle, and the third immediately below it.

First

The first perforating artery (''a. perforans prima'') passes posteriorly between the p ectineus and adductor brevis (sometimes it perforates the latter); it then pierces the

close to the linea aspera. It gives branches to the adductores brevis and magnus,

biceps femoris The biceps femoris () is a muscle of the thigh located to the posterior, or back. As its name implies, it consists of two heads; the long head is considered part of the hamstring muscle group, while the short head is sometimes excluded from this ...

, and

gluteus maximus The gluteus maximus is the main extensor muscle of the hip in humans. It is the largest and outermost of the three gluteal muscles and makes up a large part of the shape and appearance of each side of the hips. It is the single largest muscle in ...

, and anastomoses with the inferior gluteal, medial and lateral femoral circumflex and second perforating arteries.

Second

The second perforating artery (''a. perforans secunda''), larger than the first, pierces the tendons of the adductores brevis and magnus, and divides into ascending and descending branches, which supply the posterior femoral muscles, anastomosing with the first and third perforating. The second artery frequently arises in common with the first. The nutrient artery of the femur is usually given off from the second perforating artery; when two nutrient arteries exist, they usually spring from the first and third perforating vessels.

Third/fourth

The third perforating artery (''a. perforans tertia'') is given off below the Adductor brevis; it pierces the Adductor magnus, and divides into branches which supply the posterior femoral muscles; anastomosing above with the higher perforating arteries, and below with the terminal branches of the profunda and the muscular branches of the popliteal. The nutrient artery of the femur may arise from this branch. The termination of the profunda artery, already described, is sometimes termed the ''fourth perforating artery of Elliott'' after the anatomist who first dissected its course.

First

Second

Third/fourth

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