The location of the femoral artery is at the top of your thigh in an area called the femoral triangle. The triangle is just below your groin, which is the crease where your abdomen ends and your legs begin. The femoral artery runs to the lower thigh and ends behind the knee. At the knee, the femoral artery becomes the popliteal artery.
What are the parts of your femoral artery?
The anatomy of the femoral artery includes:
- Common femoral artery: This first part of the femoral artery is an extension of the external iliac artery in your pelvis. It contains several branches that supply blood to the tissues in your abdominal wall, groin and pubic area. Branches of the femoral artery include: superficial circumflex, superficial external pudendal and superficial inferior epigastric arteries.
- Deep femoral artery: This artery branches off the common femoral artery. It has branches of its own, the medial circumflex and lateral circumflex arteries. It supplies blood to the femur, hip, buttocks and tissues deep in the thigh.
- Superficial femoral artery: This part of the femoral artery continues from the common femoral artery. It delivers blood to the lower leg, including the muscles at the front of your thigh and part of your knee.
How big is the femoral artery?
The common femoral artery is about 4 centimeters long (around an inch and a half). The deep and superficial portions continue down your leg. The diameter of the artery varies widely by sex, weight, height and ethnicity. But it’s usually between 7 and 8 millimeters across (about a quarter-inch).
The wide diameter of the common femoral artery makes it an ideal access point for endovascular procedures. A surgeon can insert a catheter (thin, flexible tube) into your femoral artery to access other blood vessels in your body, especially those near your heart.
What are the femoral artery layers?
The walls of all arteries, including your femoral artery, contain three layers:
- Tunica intima: The inner layer keeps your blood flowing smoothly. It regulates blood pressure, prevents blood clots and keeps toxins out of your blood.
- Media: The middle layer is elastic, which keeps your blood flowing in one direction. The media also helps vessels expand and contract.
- Adventitia: The outer layer gives blood vessels their structure and support. It contains tiny vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients from your blood to the wall of the femoral artery.
Conditions and Disorders
What are the common conditions and disorders that affect your femoral artery?
Conditions that affect your femoral artery include:
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD). This is the most common condition to affect the femoral artery.
- Blood clots.
- Aneurysms (bulges in a blood vessel wall).
Common signs or symptoms of femoral artery conditions
Symptoms of femoral artery conditions may include:
- Painful, achy or tired leg muscles while walking.
- Swelling or pressure in your leg.
- Foot wounds that heal slowly.
- Skin discoloration.
Common tests to check the health of your femoral artery
In addition to a physical exam, a provider can use tests to check your femoral artery, like:
- Ankle-brachial index.
- Pulse volume recording.
- Doppler ultrasound.
- CT angiogram (computed tomography angiogram).
- MRA (magnetic resonance angiogram).
- D-dimer test.
Common treatments for your femoral artery
Treatments for your femoral artery may include:
- Medicine like antihypertensives or blood thinners.
- Physical activity.
- Angioplasty.
- Peripheral artery bypass.
- Surgical removal of a blood clot or plaque (atheroma).
- Surgical repair of an aneurysm.