Arteries of the Lower Limb: Femoral Artery

Arteries of the Lower Limb

• The femoral artery becomes the popliteal artery as it enters the posterior compartment of the thigh.

Femoral Artery

• The femoral artery is the main artery of the lower limb.
• It originates from the external iliac artery.
• It becomes the femoral artery as the external iliac artery passes under the inguinal ligament.

Popliteal Artery

• The popliteal artery gives rise to genicular branches that supply the knee joint.
• It descends down the posterior thigh.

Profunda Femoris Artery

• It arises from the femoral artery in the upper thigh region.
• It contributes to the supply of muscles in the medial and posterior thigh.

Obturator Artery

• It arises from the internal iliac artery and descends via the obturator canal to enter the medial thigh.
• It supplies the pectineus, obturator externus, adductor muscles, and gracilis.

Gluteal Region

• The superior gluteal artery supplies some of the deep gluteal muscles.

Tibial Artery

• The anterior tibial artery becomes the dorsalis pedis artery as it enters the foot and passes over the dorsal aspect of the tarsal bones.

Nerve Compression

• The tibial nerve is susceptible to compression from an aneurysm of the popliteal artery.
• Tibial nerve compression from an aneurysm of the popliteal artery can result in tarsal tunnel syndrome.

Femoral Triangle

• The femoral artery passes through the femoral triangle (also known as Scarpa's triangle) during its descent down the anterior surface of the thigh.

Medical Imaging

• Angiography involves navigating a long, thin tube through the femoral artery for visualizing coronary vessels.

Muscular Supply

• The lateral circumflex femoral artery supplies some of the muscles on the lateral aspect of the thigh.
• The medial circumflex femoral artery wraps round the posterior side of the femur and can be easily damaged in a fracture of the femoral neck, leading to avascular necrosis of the femur head.