Thigh Arteries - 3D Anatomy Tutorial

Summary

This tutorial explains the arterial supply to the thigh, focusing on the femoral artery, obturator artery, and inferior gluteal artery. The femoral artery, the largest of these, enters the thigh as the common femoral artery, giving off branches like the superficial circumflex and deep external pudendal arteries. It continues as the profunda femoris artery, which branches into lateral and medial circumflex arteries and perforating arteries supplying thigh muscles. The superficial femoral artery continues to become the popliteal artery after passing through the adductor hiatus, giving off branches such as the descending genicular artery.

Takeaways

• 😀 The thigh receives arterial supply from three main arteries: the femoral artery, obturator artery, and inferior gluteal artery.
• 😀 The obturator and inferior gluteal arteries are branches of the internal iliac artery.
• 😀 The femoral artery is the largest artery supplying the lower limb and enters the thigh through the inguinal ligament.
• 😀 The common femoral artery branches into four arteries: superficial circumflex, superficial epigastric, superficial external pudendal, and deep external pudendal.
• 😀 The deep artery of the thigh (profunda femoris artery) is the primary supply to the adductor, extensor, and flexor muscles of the thigh.
• 😀 The profunda femoris gives rise to three main branches: lateral circumflex, medial circumflex, and perforating branches.
• 😀 The lateral circumflex artery has three branches: descending, ascending, and transverse, which supply the femur and surrounding areas.
• 😀 The medial circumflex artery has ascending and transverse branches that anastomose with those of the lateral circumflex artery.
• 😀 The perforating arteries penetrate the adductor magnus muscle and form a longitudinal channel with ascending and descending branches.
• 😀 The superficial femoral artery continues after the profunda femoris and becomes the popliteal artery after passing through the adductor hiatus, giving off the descending genicular artery before the hiatus.

Q & A

What are the three arteries that supply the thigh?

The three arteries that supply the thigh are the femoral artery, the obturator artery, and the inferior gluteal artery.

Where do the obturator and inferior gluteal arteries branch from?

The obturator and inferior gluteal arteries are branches of the internal iliac artery.

What is the primary function of the femoral artery?

The femoral artery is the largest artery supplying the lower limb, providing blood to most of the thigh and the lower limb.

What happens to the external iliac artery as it passes under the inguinal ligament?

As the external iliac artery passes under the inguinal ligament, it becomes the common femoral artery.

How many branches does the common femoral artery give off, and what are they?

The common femoral artery gives off four branches: the superficial circumflex, superficial epigastric, superficial external pudendal, and deep external pudendal arteries.

What is the main role of the profunda femoris artery?

The profunda femoris artery is the main blood supply to the adductor, extensor, and flexor muscles of the thigh.

What are the three main branches of the profunda femoris artery?

The three main branches of the profunda femoris artery are the lateral circumflex artery, the medial circumflex artery, and the perforating arteries.

What does the lateral circumflex artery supply, and how many branches does it have?

The lateral circumflex artery supplies the proximal femur and has three branches: a descending branch, an ascending branch, and a transverse branch.

How do the medial and lateral circumflex arteries interact?

The ascending branches of the medial and lateral circumflex arteries anastomose (connect) with each other, providing collateral circulation around the femoral neck.

What happens to the superficial femoral artery after the profunda femoris gives off its branches?

After the profunda femoris gives off its branches, the common femoral artery continues as the superficial femoral artery, which passes through the adductor hiatus to become the popliteal artery.

What is the role of the descending genicular artery?

The descending genicular artery gives off two branches: the saphenous branch, which anastomoses with the medial superior genicular artery, and the articular branch, which supplies the knee joint.