Arteries and Veins of lower limb

Arteries of the lower limb

1.Femoral artery
-Continuation of external iliac artery
-Enters the thigh below the inguinal ligament
-Lies midway between the anterior superior iliac spine and symphysis pubis
-Passes through the lateral compartment of femoral sheath
-Ends as popliteal artery at the opening of adductor magnus

2.Profunda femoris artery
-Arises from the lateral aspect of femoral artery
-Then passes behind it
-Gives the medial and lateral circumflex femoral arteries and four perforating branches
-Supplies the medial and posterior compartments of the thigh

3.Popliteal artery
-Continuation of femoral artery
-Divides into anterior and posterior tibial arteries
-Anterior tibial artery continues as the dorsalis pedis artery

Veins of the lower limb

1.Long saphenous vein
-A superficial vein (i.e. superficial to the deep fascia)
-Continuation of the dorsal venous arch
-Passes anterior to the medial malleolus
-Drains into the femoral vein by passing through the saphenous opening of fascia lata
-Accompanied by the saphenous nerve
-Has numerous valves which prevent retrograde blood flow

2.Short saphenous vein
-A superficial vein (i.e. superficial to the deep fascia)
-Arises from the lateral aspect of the dorsal venous arch
-Passes posterior to the lateral malleolus
-Ascends up in the back of leg
-Accompanied by the sural nerve
-Drains into the popliteal vein

3.Perforating veins
-Connect the superficial great and small saphenous veins to deep veins
-Have valves which allow blood to flow from superficial to deep veins only

The Femoral Triangle
-This is a clinically important triangular subfascial space in the superomedial one-third part of the thigh.
- The femoral triangle is shaped like the sail of a ship and it's boundaries can be remembered using the mnemonic, "SAIL" for Sartorius, Adductor longus and Inguinal Ligament
-It appears as a depression inferior to the inguinal ligament when the thigh is actively flexed at the hip joint. Its main contents are the femoral vessels and the femoral nerve.

Clinical significance
1.Since the femoral triangle provides easy access to a major artery
=coronary angioplasty and peripheral angioplastyis often performed by entering the femoral artery at the femoral triangle.
2.Heavy bleeding in the leg can be stopped by applying pressure to points in the femoral triangle.