Anatomy study note · Lower limb

Profunda femoris artery

The large deep branch of the femoral artery, supplying the thigh muscles. It arises from its lateral side about 4 cm below the inguinal ligament.

Key points

• From the femoral artery, 4 cm below the ligament.
• Medial + lateral circumflex femoral; 4 perforating arteries.
• Medial circumflex femoral → femoral head (avascular necrosis risk).
• Cruciate anastomosis (inferior gluteal, circumflexes, 1st perforating).
• Lower limb axis artery: 5th lumbar intersegmental.
• Femoral artery is a new vessel.
• Artery: intima / media (smooth muscle) / adventitia.
• Most named arteries are muscular; aorta is elastic.

The full note in the atlas also covers

Course · Branches · Histology · Development

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Written from

• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 11, PDF pp. 1289, 1315–1316, 1321–1322
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 15, PDF p. 258
• BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 11, PDF pp. 197–199

More from the lower limb

• Quadriceps femoris
• Retinacula of the ankle
• Saphenous nerve
• Sartorius
• Sciatic nerve
• Semimembranosus
• Semitendinosus
• Short lateral rotators of the hip
• Small saphenous vein
• Sole muscles: first layer
• Sole muscles: second layer
• Sole muscles: third layer

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