Medial circumflex femoral artery

The medial circumflex femoral artery (internal circumflex artery, medial femoral circumflex artery) is an artery in the upper thigh that helps supply blood to the neck of the femur. Damage to the artery following a femoral neck fracture may lead to avascular necrosis (ischemic) of the femoral neck/head.[1]

Medial circumflex femoral artery
The profunda femoris artery, femoral artery and their major branches - right thigh, anterior view. Circumflex femoral arteries labeled.
Details
Sourcedeep femoral artery, femoral artery
Suppliesthigh
Identifiers
Latinarteria circumflexa femoris medialis
TAA12.2.16.021
FMA20799
Anatomical terminology

Structure

The medial femoral circumflex artery arises from the medial and posterior aspect of the profunda femoris artery, and winds around the medial side of the femur, passing first between the pectineus and iliopsoas muscles, and then between the obturator externus and the adductor brevis muscles.

The medial femoral circumflex artery may occasionally arise directly from the femoral artery.

Branches

At the upper border of the adductor brevis it gives off two branches:

See also

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 630 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

  1. Mannella, P; Galeotti, R; Borrelli, M; Benea, G; Traina, G. C.; Massari, L; Chiarelli, G. M. (1986). "L'arteriografia selettiva nelle fratture della testa femorale" [Selective arteriography in femoral head fractures]. La Radiologia Medica (in Italian). 72 (6): 462–5. PMID 3715086.

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