An anatomical study of the origins of the medial circumflex femoral artery in the Turkish population

Abstract

The medial circumflex femoral artery (MCFA) usually branches from the deep femoral artery (DFA). It may also branch from the femoral artery (FA). In this study 100 inguinal regions of 50 cadavers were investigated. In 79 extremities (79%) MCFA branched from DFA, while in 15 (15%) it branched from FA. In four extremities (4%) MCFA was found to be double; in each case one of MCFAs branched from FA and the other from DFA. In one of these four cases the lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA) was also double. In one case we found a common trunk of DFA and MCFA and in another case a common trunk of MCFA, DFA and LCFA. Clinicians must be familiar with the variations of this clinically important artery to improve their success in the diagnosis and treatment of pathologies in the region.