STUDY OF LATERAL CIRCUMFLEX ARTERY

Background: The lower limb arteries are commonly involved with peripheral occlusive arterial diseases and the femoral artery at femoral triangle is widely used for certain clinical procedures like arterial catheterization, as it can be readily accessed. Lateral circumflex femoral artery is a laterally running branch given off near the root of the profunda femoris. It supplies blood to head and neck of femur, greater trochanter, vastus lateralis and knee. It has many implications in clinical practice, it is used in an anterolateral thigh flap, aortopoplitial bypass, coronary artery bypass surgery, extracranial- intracranial bypass surgery. Methods: 50 adult lowerlimbs were procured from embalmed cadavers of J.J.M. Medical College and S.S.I.M.S & R.C, Davangere, Karnataka, India for the study. Dissection of femoral triangle was carried out according to Cunningham’s manual. Site and mode of origin of the branches of femoral artery were studied, configuration of the femoral origin lateral circumflex femoral artery and its prevalence were studied. Results: out of 50 cases Lateral circumflex femoral artery took origin from profunda femoris in 45 specimens and from the femoral artery in 5 specimens. Conclusion: The knowledge of normal origin and variation of lateral circumflex femoral artery is very valuable in preventing iatrogenic injury to these vessels during surgical procedures of femoral triangle. As medial and lateral circumflex femoral arteries supply blood to head and neck of femur, it is important to avoid injuring them during surgery of hip joint to prevent necrosis of femoral head. Lateral circumflex femoral artery has many implication in clinical practice. It is used in an anterolateral thigh flap.