Medial circumflex femoral artery
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". The medial circumflex femoral artery (internal circumflex artery,[1] medial femoral circumflex artery) is an artery in the upper thigh[2] that arises from the profunda femoris artery.[1] It supplies arterial blood to several muscles in the region, as well as the femoral head and neck.
Damage to the artery following a femoral neck fracture may lead to avascular necrosis (ischemic) of the femoral neck/head.[2]
Structure
Origin
The medial femoral circumflex artery arises from the posteromedial aspect of the profunda femoris artery.[1]
The medial femoral circumflex artery may occasionally arise directly from the femoral artery.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Course and relations
It winds around the medial side of the femur[1] to pass along the posterior aspect of the femur.[3] It first passes between the pectineus and the iliopsoas muscles, then between the obturator externus and the adductor brevis muscles.[1]
Branches
At the upper border of the adductor brevis it gives off two branches:[1]
- The ascending branch
- The descending branch descends beneath the adductor brevis, to supply it and the adductor magnus; the continuation of the vessel passes backward and divides into superficial, deep, and acetabular branches.
- The superficial branch
- The deep branch
- The acetabular branch
Distribution
The medial femoral circumflex artery (with its branches) supplies arterial blood to several muscles, including: the adductor muscles of the hip, gracilis muscle,[1][3] pectineus muscle,[3] and external obturator muscle.[1] It delivers most of the arterial supply to the femoral head and femoral neck via branches - the posterior retinacular arteries.[4]
Clinical significance
Branches of the medial circumflex femoral artery supplying the head and neck of the femur are often torn in femoral neck fractures and in hip dislocation.[4]
See also
References
Public domain This article incorporates text in the public domain from Template:Wikidatathe 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
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Additional images
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Medial circumflex femoral artery
External links
- Template:Replace at the Duke University Health System's Orthopedics program
- Anatomy figure: 12:04-06 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Arteries of the lower extremity shown in association with major landmarks."
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