Unusual bilateral origins of the deep artery of thigh and associated variations

Nachiket Shankar

Abstract

During routine dissection of a middle aged male cadaver, an unusual origin of the deep artery of thigh was observed bilaterally. It arose from the femoral artery less than 1 cm distal to the inguinal ligament. On both sides, its diameter was greater than that of the femoral artery. An unusually distal origin of the lateral circumflex femoral artery was observed bilaterally. An unnamed branch from the deep artery of thigh on the left side was seen coursing superolaterally towards the anterior superior iliac spine. The deep external pudendal artery arose from the medial circumflex femoral artery on either side. On the right side, the femoral nerve emerged in the femoral triangle by piercing the iliacus muscle. As the deep artery of thigh is often used in vascular reconstructive procedures and is frequently visualized by various radiological imaging techniques, anatomical variations of itself as well as its branches have significant clinical implications.