Lower limb
Deep artery of thigh (Profunda femoris artery)
Arteria profunda femoris
- Origin
- Large posterolateral branch of the femoral artery arising ~4 cm distal to the inguinal ligament
- Insertion
- Descends deep to adductor longus giving off circumflex femoral arteries and 3-4 perforating arteries to posterior compartment
- Function
- Primary blood supply to the muscles of the anterior, medial, and posterior thigh compartments and femur shaft
- Innervation
- Sympathetic vasomotor fibers
- Movement & chain
- Protected deeply within the intermuscular planes of the thigh
- Palpation
- Not palpably accessible due to deep submuscular position
- Clinical
- Essential collateral channel preserving limb viability during superficial femoral artery occlusion; perforators vulnerable in femur plating
- Segmental innervation
- L2–L4 spinal segments
- In clinical practice
- Target vessel for profundaplasty to restore lower extremity perfusion in multilevel peripheral arterial disease
- Region in the model
- Lower limb