The**** medial circumflex femoral artery (internal circumflex ****artery,**** ******** medial femoral circumflex artery) is an artery in the upper thigh that arises from the profunda femoris artery. ******** It supplies arterial blood to several muscles in the region, as well as the femoral head and ****neck. Damage to the artery following a femoral neck fracture may lead to avascular necrosis (ischemic) of the femoral neck/head.

Structure

Origin

The** medial femoral circumflex artery arises from the posteromedial aspect of the profunda femoris artery. ** The medial femoral circumflex artery may occasionally arise directly from the femoral artery.

Course and relations

It****** winds around the medial side of the femur ************ to pass along the posterior aspect of the femur. ************ It first passes between the pectineus and the iliopsoas muscles, then between the obturator externus and the adductor brevis muscles. ******

Branches

At** the upper border of the adductor brevis it gives off two branches: **

Distribution

The**** medial femoral circumflex artery (with its branches) supplies arterial blood to several muscles, including: the adductor muscles of the hip, gracilis muscle, ******** pectineus muscle, and external obturator muscle. ******** It delivers most of the arterial supply to the femoral head and femoral neck via branches - the posterior retinacular ****arteries.

Clinical significance

Branches of the medial circumflex femoral artery supplying the head and neck of the femur are often torn in femoral neck fractures and in hip dislocation.

Additional images