FEMORAL ARTERY AND

ANASTOMOSIS ON THE
THIGH AND KNEE JOINT.
BY
Dr. Eze . E. O
Anatomy Dept. UNEC.
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 Femoral Artery
 The femoral artery is a continuation of the external iliac artery and
constitutes the major blood supply to the lower limb.

  It enters the femoral triangle behind the inguinal ligament at the
midinguinal point.

 It runs downward and medially successively via the femoral triangle and
adductor canal.

 At the lower end of the adductor canal, it leaves the thigh via the adductor
hiatus to go into the popliteal fossa where it continues as the popliteal
artery. 2
 Femoral artery
External iliac artery

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SURFACE Midinguinal point

MARKING
 Femoral artery is represented by
the upper two-third of a line
joining the midinguinal point to
the adductor tubercle.

 The thigh is slightly flexed,

abducted and laterally rotated.

Adductor tubercle

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EXTENT AND COURSE
 It passes downwards and medially.

 First in the femoral triangle, and then in the adductor canal.

 At the lower end of the adductor canal, it passes through an

opening in the adductor magnus( adductor hiatus) to become
the popiteal artery.

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RELATIONS OF THE FEMORAL
ARTERY
Anterior relations
1. Skin
2. superficial fascia
3. Deep fascia
4. Sartorius
5. Anterior wall of femoral sheath
6. Medial cutaneous nerve of thigh
7. Saphenous nerve
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RELATIONS OF FEMORAL
ARTERY
Posterior relations
1. Psoas major
2. Pectineus
3. Adductor longus
4. Adductor magnus
5. Femoral vein

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 RELATIONS OF FEMORAL ARTERY
 Medial relation - femoral vein.

 Lateral relation – femoral nerve

and its branches.

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BRANCHES OF FEMORAL ARTERY
 In the femoral triangle
 3 superficial branches:
- Superficial epigastric artery:
anastomose with the branches of inferior epigastric artery.

- Superficial external pudendal artery: passes laterally parallel to inguinal ligament

- Superficial circumflex iliac artery:

passes medially in front of femoral vein & then crosses the spermatic cord.

 3 deep branches :
profunda femoris
Deep external pudendal
Muscular branches 11
BRANCHES OF FEMORAL ARTERY

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 ARTERY
 In the adductor canal:

 Muscular branches.

 Descending genicular artery.

- The descending genicular artery leaves
the canal by descending inside the
substance of vastus medalis.

- It splits in to articular and saphenous

branches. The saphenous artery ,
accompanies the saphenous nerve as it
arises via the roof of adductor canal.
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ARTERY
This is the largest branch of the femoral artery. It is the chief arterial
supply to all the three compartments of the thigh.

It arises from the lateral side of the femoral artery about 4cm below
the inguinal ligament.

It leaves the femoral triangle by passing deep to the adductor

longus. Continuing downwards, it passes first between the adductor
longus and the adductor brevis.

Its terminal part pierces the adductor magus to end by becoming

fourth perforating artery. 14
The profunda femoris artery
 The profunda femoris artery gives off the medial and lateral circumflex
arteries, and four perforating arteries.

 The medial circumflex femoral artery leaves the femoral triangle by passing
posteriorly, between the pectineus and the psoas major muscles.

 The lateral circumflex femoral artery runs laterally, and passes behind the
sartorius and the rectus femoris, and divides into ascending, transverse and
desending branches.

 Perforating branches- Consists of four arteries that perforate the adductor

magnus, contributing to the supply of the muscle in the medial and
posterior thigh. 15
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 CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

 Compression- the femoral can be compressed against the femoral head at

the midinguinal point to control the bleeding in the distal part of the limb.

 Palpation – the pulsation of the femoral artery can felt by the clinicians in
the femoral triangle.

 Cannulation of femoral artery – since femoral artery is very superficial in the

femoral triangle , it’s the preferable artery for cannulation and dye
injection during angiography.
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ANASTOMOSIS ON
THE THIGH AND
KNEE JOINT

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Trochanteric Anastomosis
 Site: near the trochanteric fossa.

 Is the main supply to the head & neck of femur.

 Provides a connection between internal iliac and femoral

arteries.
 Formed by:
- Superior gluteal artery
- Inferior gluteal artery
- Medial circumflex femoral
- Lateral circumflex femoral
 Trochanteric anastomosis is main source of arterial supply to 19
the head of the femur.
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CRUCIATE
ANASTOMOSIS
 It lies at the level of lesser trochanter.

 Between internal iliac and femoral arteries.

 Formed by:
- Inferior gluteal artery
- Medial circumflex femoral
- Lateral circumflex femoral
- First perforating

 Cruciate anastomosis forms a connection between

internal iliac and femoral arteries. 21
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 Anastomosis Around Knee / Genicular Anastomosis
 The genicular arteries participate in the formation of
anastomosis around the knee.

 This anastomosis compensates for the narrowing of the

popliteal artery during prolonged flexion of the knee.
 Formed by:
- Descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral.
- Descending genicular of femoral.
- Anterior tibial recurrent.
- Five branches of popliteal artery.
o Superior lateral genicular artery
o Inferior lateral genicular artery
o Superior medial genicular artery
o Middle genicular artery
o Inferior medial genicular artery
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Anastomosis Around Knee

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 Anastomosis Around Knee / Genicular Anatomosis
 Superior medial genicular
artery anastomose together
with the descending genicular
branch of the femoral artery
and inferior medial genicular
artery.

 Inferior medial genicular

artery anastomose with the
superior medial genicular
artery and saphenous artery-
a branch of the descending
artery ( a branch of femoral
artery).
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 Anastomosis Around Knee / Genicular Anatomosis
 Superior lateral genicular artery
anastomose together with the
descending branch of the lateral
circumflex femoral artery and
inferior lateral genicular.

 Inferior lateral genicular artery

anastomose with superior
lateral genicular artery, and
recurrent branches of the
anterior tibial artery.

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QUESTIONS ?

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