[Plate 500, Arteries of Thigh and Knee: Schema]page 270
page 271Femoral artery
Continuation of the external iliac artery
Main artery of lower limb
Palpable inferior to the midinguinal point, not at the midpoint of the inguinal ligament
Descends in femoral triangle on iliopsoas and pectineus, lateral to femoral vein
Enters adductor canal deep to sartorius and exits at adductor hiatus
Profunda femoris (deep artery of thigh)
Main artery to the thigh
Largest branch of femoral
Arises from lateral aspect of femoral in femoral triangle
Supplies anterior and medial (adductor) compartments of the thigh
Supplies posterior compartment by perforating arteries
Gives off medial and lateral circumflex femoral arteries that supply the head of the femur and muscles of lateral thigh
Obturator artery
Branch of the internal iliac artery (or may arise from the inferior epigastric)
Enters thigh through obturator foramen
Divides into anterior and posterior branches
Supplies adductor compartment of the thigh along with profunda femoris
Popliteal artery
Continuation of the femoral artery (at adductor hiatus)
Palpable in the popliteal fossa (best felt when knee is flexed)
Gives off five genicular branches supplying articular capsule and ligaments of knee joint
Medial and lateral superior genicular
Middle genicular
Medial and lateral inferior genicular
Form anastomosis around knee joint
Bifurcates into anterior and posterior tibial arteries
Anterior tibial artery
Smaller of two terminal branches of popliteal
Passes through gap in interosseous membrane