VARIABILITY IN THE ORIGIN OF LATERAL AND MEDIAL CIRCUMFLEX FEMORAL ARTERIES: AN ANATOMICAL STUDY IN SOUTH INDIANS

Aim: The objectives were to study the anatomical variations in the origin of lateral and medial circumflex femoral arteries in cadaveric lower limbs of South Indian population. Material and method: The present study included 48 embalmed cadaveric lower limbs from the southern part of India. The branching patterns of femoral artery and deep femoral artery were observed in all the specimens. The branching pattern was categorized into different types as per Vazquez et al. The type 1a, the lateral circumflex femoral artery branched distal to the medial circumflex femoral artery and type 1b, the medial circumflex femoral artery branched distal to the lateral circumflex femoral artery. They are grouped under the type 1c, if both the circumflex femoral arteries, were found branching at the same level. Subtype 2a, if the lateral circumflex femoral artery is branching from the deep femoral artery and the medial circumflex femoral artery is branching from the femoral artery. Type 2b, if the medial circumflex femoral artery is branching from the deep femoral artery and the lateral circumflex femoral artery is branching from the femoral artery. In type 3, both the lateral and medial circumflex femoral arteries were branching from the femoral artery. Results: In the present study, the type 1a was observed in 43.7% of specimens, type 1c in 12.5% of cases, type 2a was found in 33.3% specimens, type 2b was observed in 6.2% cases and type 3 in 4.2% of cases. The type 1b was not observed in the present study. Conclusion: The present study has provided additional knowledge about the variability in the origins of lateral and medial circumflex femoral arteries in the cadaveric lower limbs of South Indian population. The morphological knowledge will enlighten the surgeons to avoid complications like catastrophic bleeding and diagnostic misinterpretations.