The descending genicular artery is a long arterial branch located in the medial, distal portion of thigh and the knee joint region. It supplies the knee, the vastus medialis muscle, and distal parts of the sartorius, gracilis, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus muscle.
The descending genicular artery arises from the antero-medial wall of femoral artery in the subsartorial canal (canalis adductorius). Then it descends towards the knee, piercing together with the saphenous nerve the tendinous lamina as it emerges towards the surface. Next, it travels behind the sartorius muscle, curving around the medial condyle of femur. Sending off several branches, it ends up in the muscles of this region.
The descending genicular artery gives off the following branches: 1) the muscular branches which run deep into the surrounding muscles; 2) the saphenous branch, which travels deep into the vastus medialis muscle; 3) articular branches, which anastomoses the medial superior genicular and the middle genicular artery, contributing the arterial network that supplies the knee joint.
Below, schematic picture of arteries of thigh and knee, showing the descending genicular.
