The
femoral artery is a general term comprising a few large
arteriesArteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. This blood is normally oxygenated, exceptions made for the pulmonary and umbilical arteries....
in the thigh. They begin at the inguinal ligament (femoral head) and end just above the knee at
adductor canalThe adductor canal is an aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the thigh, extending from the apex of the femoral triangle to the opening in the Adductor magnus, the Adductor hiatus.-Boundary:...
or Hunter's canal traversing the extent of the
femurThe femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
bone.
The femoral artery is divided into three parts: The common femoral artery which divides into the deep femoral artery (a.k.a.
ProfundaProfunda may refer to:*Profunda brachii*Profunda femoris artery or vein*Pumpkin ash, Fraxinus profunda...
), which provides blood to the thigh, and the superficial femoral artery, which provides blood to the arteries that circulate the knee and foot.
Anatomy
The femoral arteries receive blood through the
external iliac arteryThe external iliac arteries are two major arteries which bifurcate off the common iliac arteries anterior to the sacroiliac joint of the pelvis. They proceed anterior and inferior along the medial border of the psoas major muscles...
. This connection occurs at the femoral triangle behind the
inguinal ligamentThe inguinal ligament is a band running from the pubic tubercle to the anterior superior iliac spine. Its anatomy is very important for operating on hernia patients.-Anatomy:...
which is usually near the head of the femur bone. That proximal section of the femoral artery, known specifically as the common femoral artery (CFA), leaves the femoral triangle through an apex beneath the
sartoriusThe Sartorius muscle – the longest muscle in the human body – is a long thin muscle that runs down the length of the thigh. Its upper portion forms the lateral border of the femoral triangle.-Origin and insertion:...
muscle. It then divides into a deep and superficial femoral. The deep vessel is more commonly known as the
ProfundaProfunda may refer to:*Profunda brachii*Profunda femoris artery or vein*Pumpkin ash, Fraxinus profunda...
which provides blood to the thigh. The other branch is the superficial femoral artery or SFA. The SFA connects to the
popliteal arteryIn human anatomy, the popliteal artery is defined as the extension of the "superficial" femoral artery after passing through the adductor canal and adductor hiatus above the knee...
at the opening of adductor magnus or hunter's canal towards the end of the femur.
The branches of femoral arteries are (from proximal to distal) the superficial and deep external
pudendalThe superficial external pudendal artery arises from the medial side of the femoral artery, close to the superficial epigastric artery and superficial iliac circumflex artery.-Course and target:...
, superficial epigastric, superficial circumflex iliac,
profundaProfunda may refer to:*Profunda brachii*Profunda femoris artery or vein*Pumpkin ash, Fraxinus profunda...
femoris and
descending genicular arteriesThe descending genicular artery arises from the femoral artery just before it passes through the opening in the tendon of the Adductor magnusIt immediately divides into:* Saphenous branch of descending genicular artery...
.
Clinical significance -–Common Femoral Artery
As the Common femoral artery (CFA) can often be
palpatedPalpation is used as part of a physical examination in which an object is felt to determine its size, shape, firmness, or location...
through the skin, it is often used as a catheter access artery. From the CFA wires and catheters can be directed anywhere in the arterial system for intervention or diagnostics including the heart, brain, kidneys, arms and legs. The direction of the needle in the CFA can be against blood flow (retro-grade), for intervention and diagnostic towards the heart and opposite leg, or with the flow (ante-grade or ipsi-lateral) for diagnostics and intervention on the same leg. Access in either the left or right CFA is possible and depends on the type of intervention or diagnostic.
The CFA is susceptible to peripheral arterial disease. When a CFA is blocked through
atherosclerosisAtherosclerosis is a condition in which an artery wall thickens as a result of the accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol...
,
percutaneousIn surgery, percutaneous pertains to any medical procedure where access to inner organs or other tissue is done via needle-puncture of the skin, rather than by using an "open" approach where inner organs or tissue are exposed .The percutaneous approach is commonly used in vascular procedures...
intervention with access from the opposite CFA may be needed.
EndarterectomyEndarterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the atheromatous plaque material, or blockage, in the lining of an artery constricted by the buildup of soft/hardening deposits. It is carried out by separating the plaque from the arterial wall....
, a surgical cut down and removal of the plaque, of the CFA is also common.
The common femoral artery can be used to draw arterial blood when the blood pressure is so low that the radial or brachial arteries cannot be located.
The site for optimally palpating the
femoral pulse is in the inner thigh, at the mid-inguinal point, halfway between the pubic symphysis and anterior superior iliac spine. Presence of a
femoral pulse has been estimated to indicate a systolic
blood pressureBlood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, BP varies...
of more than 50 mmHg, as given by the 50% percentile.
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