Describe The Arterial Supply To The Lower Limb

Front 1

General Blood Supply to Lower Limb

Back 1

Internal iliac a.

• Gives rise to 3 branches

1. Superior gluteal a.
2. Inferior gluteal a.
3. Obturator a. (supplies medial thigh)

External iliac a. ->[inguinal lig] Femoral a. -> Deep femoral a.

Femoral a. (continues inf.)->[adductor hiatus] Popliteal a. ->[inferior popliteaus m.] Anterior & Posterior tibial aa.

Anterior tibial a. ->[Deep to inferior extensor retinaculum] Dorsalis pedis a. -> Deep plantar a. & Arcuate a.

Posterior tibial a. ->[near origin] Fibular a.

Posterior tibial a. (continues inferiorly) ->[deep to flexor retinaculum] Medial & Lateral plantar aa.

Lateral plantar a. -> Deep plantar arch a.

• Deep plantar a. <> Deep plantar arch a.

External iliac a. (Main blood supply to LL)

• Becomes Femoral a. (distal to inguinal lig)

Front 2

Detailed blood supply

Back 2

Internal iliac a.

• source of blood for gluteal region
  
• Superior gluteal a.
• Inferior gluteal a.
• Also supplies medial thigh
• Obturator a.

External iliac a.

• Main source of blood for lower limb
• becomes femoral a. after passing deep to inguinal ligament

Femoral a.

• Primary artery of lower limb
• branches supply anterior & anteromedial aspect of thigh
• Gives rise to deep femoral (profunda femoris) a.
• Gives rise to Descending genicular a. proximal to adductor hiatus
• Continues on as Popliteal a. after passing through adductor hiatus

Deep femoral (profunda femoris) a.

• Gives off 3-4 perforating arteries that wrap around femur
• W/perforating arteries supplies posterior thigh (hamstrings), anterior thigh (vastus lateralis), & medial thigh (adductor magnus)
• Gives rise to Medial & Lateral circumflex femoral aa. (may arise from femoral a. instead)

Medial circumflex femoral a.

• Supplies most of blood to head & neck of femur
• Transverse branch takes part in cruciate anastomosis of thigh
• Ascending branch joins inferior gluteal a.
• Anastomose w/ascending branch of lateral circumflex femoral a.

Lateral circumflex femoral a.

• Ascending branch supplies anterior gluteal region & joins terminal branch of superior gluteal a.
  
• Transverse branch winds around femur
• Descending branch joins genicular anastomosis

Popliteal a.

• Continuation of femoral a. after it passes through adductor hiatus
• Terminates at inferior border of popliteus m. into Anterior & Posterior tibial aa.
• Muscular branches supply hamstrings, gastrocnemius, soleus, & plantaris mm.
• 5 genicular branches supply capsule & ligaments of the knee joint
• Superior lateral genicular a.
• Superior medial genicular a.
• Middle genicular a.
• Inferior lateral genicular a.
• Inferior medial genicular a.

Anterior tibial a.

• Supplies anterior compartment of leg (dorsiflexor compartment)
• Becomes Dorsalis pedis a. midway between malleoli, deep to inferior flexor retinaculum

Dorsalis pedis a.

• Main blood supply to forefoot
• Gives rise to anterior lateral & anterior medial malleolar aa.
• Gives rise to Lateral tarsal a.
• Supplies tarsals
• <> Arcuate a.
• Gives rise to Medial tarsal aa.
• Gives rise to Arcuate a.
• Forms anastomotic loop w/Lat tarsal a.
• Gives rise to 2-4 dorsal metatarsal aa.
• Terminates in Deep plantar a. & 1st dorsal metatarsal a.

Posterior tibial a.

• Supplies posterior & lateral compartments of leg
• Gives rise to Fibular a. near its origin
• Gives rise to Circumflex fibular a., which joins genicular anastomosis
• Accompanied by tibial nerve & veins
• Terminates into Medial & Lateral plantar aa. deep to flexor retinaculum

Fibular a.

• Supplies lateral & posterior compartments of leg
• Gives rise to perforating branch, which <> w/arcuate a.
• Terminates into lateral malleolar & lateral calcaneal branches
• Lateral calcaneal branch of fibular a. supplies the heel
• Lateral malleolar branch of fibular a. joins other malleolar branches to form arterial anastomosis of the ankle

Medial plantar a.

• Gives rise to a deep branch that supplies mainlymuscles of the great toe
  
• Superficial branch supplies the skin on the medial sideof the sole and has digital branches that accompany digitalbranches of the medial plantar nerve

Lateral plantar a.

• arches medially across the foot to form thedeep plantar arch a., which is completed by union with thedeep plantar artery, a branch of the dorsalis pedis artery
  
• Supplies all muscles of foot other than muscles of the great toe via its branches

Deep plantar arch a.

• Gives rise to 4 Plantar metatarsal aa.
• Gives rise to 3 Perforating branchs, which <> w/dorsal metatarsal aa.

Plantar metatarsal aa.

• divide near the base of theproximal phalanges to form the plantar digital arteries
  

Plantar digital aa.

• typicallyprovide most of the blood reaching the distal toes
  

Front 3

Collateral circulation of the hip

Back 3

incomplete