Femoral Artery

The femoral artery is the main blood vessel of the thigh, supplying oxygen-rich blood to muscles, fascia and bone. It is the terminal branch or continuation of the external iliac artery. It is called femoral once it has gone beyond the inguinal ligament (the anatomical boundary between the two arteries. Let us remember that the external iliac is one of the two branches the common iliac artery divides. (The common iliac arises in turn from the abdominal aorta).

Having run for about 4 or 5 cm, the femoral artery gives off its largest branch, which is the profunda femoris artery (deep femoral), that provides oxygen rich blood to femur and deep muscles of thigh.

Having sent off smaller branches to supply muscles (lower portion of quadriceps and biceps femoral), the femoral artery keeps running down as it curves around behind the knee and becomes the popliteal artery, which supplies the knee-joint and leg.

The venous counterpart of the femoral artery is the femoral vein. It takes essentially the same course as the femoral artery but transports blood in the opposite direction: toward the heart.

Below, a schematic picture of the femoral artery and its main branches, like the deep femoral, the medial circumflex femoral, the lateral circumflex femoral, and perforating arteries.