The deep femoral artery also known as the deep artery of the thigh, or profunda femoris artery, is a large branch of the
femoral artery. It travels more deeply ("profoundly") than the rest of the femoral artery. It gives rise to the
lateral circumflex femoral artery and
medial circumflex femoral artery, and the
perforating arteries, terminating within the thigh.
Structure
Origin
The deep femoral artery branches off the posterolateral side of the
femoral artery soon after its origin.
Course
It travels down the thigh closer to 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 ...
than the
femoral artery. It runs between the
pectineus muscle and the
adductor longus muscle
In the human body, the adductor longus is a skeletal muscle located in the thigh. One of the adductor muscles of the hip, its main function is to adduct the thigh and it is innervated by the obturator nerve. It forms the medial wall of the ...
. It runs on the posterior side of
adductor longus muscle
In the human body, the adductor longus is a skeletal muscle located in the thigh. One of the adductor muscles of the hip, its main function is to adduct the thigh and it is innervated by the obturator nerve. It forms the medial wall of the ...
.
It pierces the
adductor magnus muscle, and may be known as the
fourth perforating artery as it continues.
The deep femoral artery does not leave the
thigh; terminating as perforating tissue branches within the thigh.
Branches
The deep femoral artery gives off the following branches:
*
Lateral circumflex femoral artery.
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Medial circumflex femoral artery.
* 3
perforating arteries that perforate 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 ...
muscle to the posterior and medial
compartments of the thigh to connect with the branches of the popliteal artery behind the knee. The perforating arteries arise in the
anterior compartment of thigh. The terminal continuation of the deep femoral artery may be regarded as the fourth perforating artery.
Distribution
The deep femoral artery is the main supply of oxygenated
blood to the thigh.
The medial circumflex femoral artery is distributes to the adductor group (
adductor longus,
magnus, and
brevis),
gracilis, and
pectineus. It also supplies the
femoral head
The femoral head (femur head or head of the femur) is the highest part of the thigh bone (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 ...
and
neck.
The lateral circumflex femoral artery supplies muscles of the knee extensor group (
vastus lateralis,
vastus intermedius, and
rectus femoris).
The perforating arteries supply the
hamstring muscles (
semitendinosus,
semimembranosus, and
biceps femoris).
Additional images
File:Slide8LLLLL.JPG, Deep femoral artery
See also
*
Obturator artery
References
External links
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* - "Arteries of the lower extremity shown in association with major landmarks."
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{{Authority control
Arteries of the lower limb