Week 2: Arteries & Veins Flashcards
Where do the superior and inferior gluteal arteries originate from?
Internal iliac artery
Where does bifurication of aorta occur and what is the artery called at the inguinal ligament?
- Bifurcation of aorta – at the level of L4 vertebrae
- Inguinal ligament – external iliac to femoral artery
What is the arterial supply of the anterior compartment of the thigh?
Deep femoral artery
What is the arterial supply of the posterior compartment of the thigh?
Deep femoral artery
What is the arterial supply of the medial compartment of the thigh?
Deep femoral artery + Obturator artery
What muscles do the gluteal arteries supply?
- Superior gluteal – gluteus medius and gluteus minimus
- Inferior gluteal – gluteus maximus
What is the arterial supply of the anterior compartment of the leg?
Anterior tibial artery
What is the arterial supply of the posterior compartment of the leg?
Posterior tibial artery
What is the arterial supply of the lateral compartment of the leg?
Fibular/peroneal artery
What artery does the femoral artery continue on from?
External iliac artery (direct branch from the descending aorta)
At which point does the external iliac artery become the femoral artery?
Where it passes deep to the inguinal ligament to enter the thigh
Describe the pathway of the femoral artery:
- The femoral artery passes through the thigh to primarily supply the leg and foot
- The deep femoral artery (profunda femoris) that supplies most of the muscles of the thigh
- The femoral artery travels down the thigh through the adductor canal
- After entering the back of the knee (popliteal fossa) the artery is now known as the popliteal artery
What is the popliteal artery a continuation of?
The femoral artery through the adductor hiatus in adductor magnus muscle
Where does the popliteal artery divide?
After leaving the popliteal fossa, the popliteal artery divides into 2 branches:
1. Anterior tibial artery
2. Posterior tibial artery
In which compartment of the leg did you locate the posterior tibial artery?
Posterior compartment
On which the aspects of the foot did you locate the medial and lateral plantar arteries?
Plantar aspect, medial and lateral respectively
Where does the fibular (peroneal) artery originate?
The fibular artery is a large branch from a little below the origin of the posterior tibial artery
Which compartment of the leg is supplied by the fibular artery?
Lateral
In which compartment of the leg is the anterior tibial artery?
Anterior
Describe the location of the dorsal artery of the foot (doralis pedis):
- It’s the continuation of the anterior tibial artery distal to the ankle joint
- This artery is positioned subcutaneously in a line from midway between the malleoli to the proximal end of the first intermetatarsal space
Why is it important to be able to palpate the dorsalis pedis pulse?
To check that the foot is receiving adequate blood supply – often impaired in people with conditions such as peripheral vascular disease and diabetes
The systemic veins contain numerous bicuspid valves – what is the function of these valves?
Allow the (deoxygenated) blood to flow towards the heart but prevent backward flow
Describe the drainage of the femoral vein to the heart:
- The femoral vein continues proximally as the external iliac vein
- The external and internal iliac veins join to form the common iliac vein, which drains into the inferior vena cava
What are the 2 main cutaneous veins of the lower limb?
- Great (greater or long) saphenous vein
- Small (lesser or short) saphenous vein
