Vascular Anatomy
(Redirected from Femoral Artery)
Introduction
General
- This pages summarizes the arteries of the human body
- Emphasis is placed on vasculature of the upper and lower extremity
Upper Extremity
- Origin: Branches off the aortic arch (left side) or brachiocephalic trunk (right side)
- Thyrocervical trunk
- Suprascapular artery (supplies scapular region)
- Dorsal scapular artery (variable origin, may arise from transverse cervical)
- Continuation of the subclavian artery after it crosses the lateral border of the 1st rib
- Divided into 3 parts by the pectoralis minor muscle
- First Part:
- Superior thoracic artery
- Second Part:
- Thoracoacromial artery
- Pectoral branch
- Deltoid branch
- Clavicular branch
- Acromial branch
- Lateral thoracic artery
- Thoracoacromial artery
- Third Part:
- Subscapular artery
- Circumflex scapular artery
- Thoracodorsal artery
- Anterior circumflex humeral artery
- Posterior circumflex humeral artery
- Subscapular artery
- Continuation of axillary artery beyond the lower border of the teres major
- Profunda brachii artery (deep brachial)
- Radial collateral artery
- Middle collateral artery
- Superior ulnar collateral artery
- Inferior ulnar collateral artery
- Profunda brachii artery (deep brachial)
- Bifurcates near the cubital fossa into:
- Radial artery
- Ulnar artery
- Radial recurrent artery
- Palmar carpal branch
- Superficial palmar branch
- Dorsal carpal branch
- Terminates in the deep palmar arch of the hand
- Anterior ulnar recurrent artery
- Posterior ulnar recurrent artery
- Common interosseous artery
- Anterior interosseous artery
- Posterior interosseous artery
- Palmar carpal branch
- Dorsal carpal branch
- Terminates in the superficial palmar arch of the hand
Hand Arteries
- Superficial Palmar Arch (mainly from ulnar artery):
- Common palmar digital arteries
- Divide into proper palmar digital arteries
- Common palmar digital arteries
- Deep Palmar Arch (mainly from radial artery):
- Palmar metacarpal arteries
- Anastomoses with branches of the superficial arch
- Palmar metacarpal arteries
Lower Extremity
Abdominal Aorta
- Bifurcates at L4 into:
- Right common iliac artery
- Left common iliac artery
Common Iliac Artery
- Each side divides into:
- Internal iliac artery (supplies pelvis and gluteal region)
- External iliac artery (continues to the lower limb)
Internal Iliac Artery
- Relevant branches to lower limb:
- Superior gluteal artery
- Inferior gluteal artery
- Obturator artery
- Main artery of the thigh
- Branches:
- Superficial epigastric artery
- Superficial circumflex iliac artery
- External pudendal arteries
- Deep artery of the thigh (profunda femoris)
- Lateral circumflex femoral artery
- Ascending branch
- Transverse branch
- Descending branch
- Medial circumflex femoral artery
- Perforating arteries (typically 3-4, supply posterior thigh)
- Lateral circumflex femoral artery
- Descending genicular artery
- Continues as popliteal artery after passing through the adductor hiatus
- Branches:
- Superior medial genicular artery
- Superior lateral genicular artery
- Middle genicular artery
- Inferior medial genicular artery
- Inferior lateral genicular artery
- Bifurcates into:
- Anterior tibial artery
- Posterior tibial artery
Anterior Tibial Artery
- Passes through the interosseous membrane to the anterior compartment of the leg
- Branches:
- Anterior tibial recurrent artery
- Lateral malleolar artery
- Medial malleolar artery
- Continues as dorsalis pedis artery on the dorsum of the foot
- Arcuate artery
- Dorsal metatarsal arteries
- Dorsal digital arteries
- Dorsal metatarsal arteries
Posterior Tibial Artery
- Travels in posterior compartment of leg
- Branches:
- Fibular (peroneal) artery
- Perforating branch
- Communicating branch
- Calcaneal branches
- Medial malleolar branch
- Calcaneal branches
- Fibular (peroneal) artery
- At the ankle, divides into:
- Medial plantar artery
- Lateral plantar artery
- Together form the plantar arch
- Plantar metatarsal arteries
- Plantar digital arteries
- Plantar metatarsal arteries
Head and Neck
Aortic Arch Branches (Main Origins)
- Brachiocephalic trunk (right side only)
- Right common carotid artery
- Right subclavian artery
- Left common carotid artery (direct from aortic arch)
- Left subclavian artery (direct from aortic arch)
Common Carotid Arteries
- External carotid artery (ECA)
- Internal carotid artery (ICA)
External Carotid Artery (ECA) Branches
- Superior thyroid artery
- Ascending pharyngeal artery
- Lingual artery
- Facial artery
- Occipital artery
- Posterior auricular artery
- Maxillary artery
- Superficial temporal artery
Internal Carotid Artery (ICA)
- Ophthalmic artery
- Posterior communicating artery
- Anterior cerebral artery
- Middle cerebral artery
Subclavian Artery Branches (Supplying neck and brain)
- Vertebral artery
- Ascends through transverse foramina (C6–C1), enters foramen magnum
- Forms Basilar artery with contralateral vertebral
- Thyrocervical trunk
- Inferior thyroid artery
- Transverse cervical artery
- Suprascapular artery
- Costocervical trunk
- Deep cervical artery
- Supreme intercostal artery
Clinical Significance
Upper Extremity
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
- Paget Schroetter Syndrome
- Subclavian Steal Syndrome
- Hypothenar Hammer Syndrome
Torso/ Spine
Lower Extremity
Other
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Basic Human Anatomy. O’Rahilly, Müller, Carpenter & Swenson
- ↑ Image courtesy of radiologykey.com
- ↑ Kirkman, E., and S. Watts. "Haemodynamic changes in trauma." British journal of anaesthesia 113.2 (2014): 266-275.
- ↑ Costa, Rafael Henrique Rodrigues, Ligia de Loiola Cisneros, and Alessandra Rocha Luz. "Diabetic foot." Vascular Diseases for the Non-Specialist: An Evidence-Based Guide (2017): 151-165.
- ↑ Hootnick, David R., and E. Mark Levinsohn. "Embryology of the lower limb demonstrates that congenital absent fibula is a radiologic misnomer." The Anatomical Record 305.1 (2022): 8-17.
- ↑ De Wilde, David. Wall shear stress metrics and their relation to atherosclerosis: an experimental and computational study in mice. Diss. Ghent University, 2016.