Blood Vessels of lower limb

Objectives
• Describe topography of major vessels
• Illustrate clinical relevance of vascular
anatomy
 Blood Vessels of lower limb

They include the following:

• Femoral, popliteal, obturator, gluteal, tibials
and their branches
• Great and small saphenous veins and their
tributaries
• Deep veins (Femoral, popliteal, tibials)
 Gluteal Region
• Superior gluteal artery
• Inferior gluteal artery
• They are branches of the internal
iliac artery
• They supply the gluteal region
• Obturator artery is abranch of
the internal iliac artery
• It passes through obturator
foramen
• It supplies the medal side of the
upper thigh
 Femoral Artery
• It is the contiuation of
the external iliac artery
at the mid inguinal point
• It descends in the
femoral triangle
• Then, it continues in the
adductor canal
• It reaches the adductor
hiatus where it becomes
the popliteal artery
• It supplies all structures
in the thigh
 Femoral Artery
In the femoral triangle, it gives the
following branches:
Superficial circumflex iliac artery
Superficial epigastric artery
External pudendal artery
Deep artery of the thigh
Muscular branches
 Deep Artery of the Thigh
• It is the main artery of the thigh
• It gives the following branches
• Medial circumflex femoral artery
• Lateral circumflex femoral artery
which gives a descending branch
• Perforating arteries
 Popliteal Artery
• It is the continuation of the femoral
artery at the adductor hiatus
• It runs through the popliteal fossa
• It ends at the lower border of the
popliteus muscle by dividing into its
terminal branches
• It gives the following branches:
Medial superior genicular artery
Lateral superior genicular artery
Medial inferior genicular artery
Lateral inferior genicular artery
Middle genicular artery
 Popliteal Artery
• At the lower end of
the popliteus muscle,
it divides into:
• Anterior tibial artery
• Posterior tibial artery
which gives the
peroneal artery
 Anastomosis around the Knee Joint
Is made by the following
branches:
• Descending branch of
lateral circumflex femoral
• Descending genicular of
femoral
• Anterior tibial recurrent
• Five branches of popliteal
artery
 Anterior Tibial Artery
• It is one of the two terminal
branches of the popliteal artery
• It supplies all structures in the
anterior compartment of the leg
and perforating branches to
lateral compartment
• It ends at the midpoint between
the malleoli
• It continues as Drorsalis Pedis
Artery
• It gives anterior medial and
lateral malleolar branches
 Posterior Tibial Artery
• It is one of the two terminal branches of the
popliteal artery
• It supplies all structures in the posterior and
lateral compartment of the leg
• It runs behind and inferior to lateral malleolus
• It then divides into Medial and Lateral plantar
branches
• It gives the following branches:
Peroneal artery which gives lateral malleolar
and calcaneal branches
 Drorsalis Pedis Artery
• It is the direct continuation of
the anterior tibial artery at the
midpoint between the malleoli
• It gives the following branches:
Lateral tarsal
Medial tarsal
Arcuate
1st dorsal metatarsal
Deep plantar
 Plantar Arteries
• The posterior tibial artery divides
into:
Lateral plantar
Medial plantar artery which gives
the first plantar metatarsal artery
Deep plantar arch is formed by the
deep plantar branch of dorsalis
pedis artery and lateral plantar
artery
 Anastomosis around the Ankle Joint
Is formed by the following
branches:
• Calcanean branches of
posterior tibial and peroneal
arteries
• Medial and lateral malleolar
branches of anterior tibial
artery
• Malleolar branches of
posterior tibial and peroneal
arteries
•
 Veins of the Lower Limb
• Deep veins accompany arteries of the
lower limb internal to the deep fascia
• Superficial veins are not accompanied
by arteries in the subcutaneous tissue
• Deep veins of the foot are drained to
the dorsal venous arch
• Medial and lateral marginal veins
emerge from the sides of the arch
 Veins of the Lower Limb Cont.,
• The medial marginal vein
continues as great (large)
saphenous vein
• It ascends in front of the medial
malleolus to the leg and thigh
• It passes through the
saphenous opening
to end in the femoral
vein
 Veins of the Lower Limb Cont.,
• The lateral marginal vein
continues as lesser (small)
saphenous vein
• It ascends on the posterior
aspect of the leg
• It ends in the popliteal vein
• Perforating veins connect
the lesser saphenous vein
with deep veins (One way
valve)
 Lower limb Vasculature

Applied anatomy
• Surface anatomy
• Arteriography and veinography
• Varicose veins
• Obstructive vasculopathy
• Arterial pulse
• Deep vein thrombosis
 Surface Anatomy

1. Femoral
2. Profunda
3. Popliteal
4. Posterior tibial
5. Peroneal
6. Medial plantar
7. Lateral plantar
8. Anterior tibial
9. Dorsalis pedis
Veins
Arteriogram
Varicose veins
Arterial pulse
Lymphatics
 Anastomosis in the Lower Limb

• Anastomosis between different

arterial branches
• To ensure blood circulation in the
case of occlusion in any artery
• Cruciate anastomosis
• Geniculate anastomosis
• Plantar anastomosis