The femoral artery is a large artery of the thigh, a continuation of the external iliac artery. The femoral artery is the main provider of the arterial blood supply to the thigh. It also supplies the superficial tissue of the pelvis and the anterior abdominal wall.

After the external iliac artery passes behind the inguinal ligament, it is called the femoral artery. It transverses the vascular lacuna, reaching the anterior surface of the thigh. Then it runs in the iliopectineal groove and later in the anterior femoral groove, entering the adductor canal, where it comes out via the adductor hiatus and reaches the popliteal fossa. At this point, the femoral artery becomes the popliteal artery. 

The femoral artery gives off superficial and deep branches.

There are three superficial branches of the femoral artery, and these are:

• Superficial epigastric artery
• Superficial circumflex iliac artery
• Superficial external pudendal artery

And there are three deep branches of the femoral artery:

• Deep femoral artery
• Deep external pudendal artery
• Descending genicular artery

The most prominent deep branch of the femoral artery is the deep femoral artery.

Deep femoral artery

The deep femoral artery (also known as deep artery of thigh or profunda femoris artery) is the largest of the deep branches of the femoral artery. It supplies blood to the deep structures of the thigh, including the femur.

It arises below the inguinal ligament, then passes posteriorly, and descends between the pectineus and adductor longus muscles. Further, the deep femoral artery penetrates the adductor magnus muscle and continues as the third perforating artery. 

On its course, the deep femoral artery gives off several branches, including:

• Medial circumflex femoral artery
• Lateral circumflex femoral artery
• Perforating arteries