Deep femoral artery

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 than the femoral artery. It runs between the pectineus muscle and the adductor longus muscle. It runs on the posterior side of adductor longus muscle. 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.
• Medial circumflex femoral artery.
• 3 perforating arteries that perforate the adductor magnus 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 distributes to the adductor group (adductor longus, magnus, and brevis), gracilis, and pectineus. It also supplies the femoral head 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).