The profunda femoris artery (also known as the deep femoral artery, or the deep artery of the thigh) is a branch of the femoral artery that, as its name suggests, travels more deeply (posteriorly) than the rest of the femoral artery.
The profunda femoris branches off the femoral artery soon after its origin. It travels down the thigh closer to the femur than the femoral artery, running between the pectineus and the adductor longus, and running on the posterior side of adductor longus. The deep femoral artery does not leave the thigh.
Branches
The profunda femoris gives off the following branches:
Lateral femoral circumflex artery
Medial femoral circumflex artery
Perforating arteries - perforate the adductor magnus muscle to the posterior and lateral compartments of the thigh.
Top