The lateral circumflex femoral artery is a deep arterial branch of the human thigh. This oxygen-rich blood vessel arises from the first portion of the profunda femoris artery (deep femoral a.), as one of its two main branches, the other being the medial circumflex femoral artery. The profunda femoris originates in turn from the femoral artery proper as its main branch.
From its point of origin, the lateral circumflex femoral artery runs laterally and slightly downwards, as it travels towards the lateral aspect of thigh, crossing the femoral nerve. Having traveled a very short course, it divides into three main branches; the ascending, the transverse, and the descending branches of the lateral circumflex femoral artery.
Function
The ascending branch of the lateral circumflex f. a. supplies the gluteus medius, the heads of the sartorius and vastus intermedius muscle, as well as the head of the femur bone and its ligaments. Meanwhile, the descending branch irrigates the heads of the vastus externus and the rectus femoris muscle.
Below, drawing of the arteries of upper thigh, showing the femoral proper, the deep femoral, the medial circumflex f. a., and the lateral circumflex femoral artery, which divides into an ascending and a descending branch.
