The surgical anatomy of the deep femoral artery.

Lower extremity ischemia is a common disorder that in the majority of cases is associated with occlusion of the superficial femoral artery. The deep femoral artery is recognized as an important collateral pathway to the genicular arterial system, thus accounting for the appearance of symptoms only after its involvement in the disease process. Surgical exposure of the deep femoral artery is often necessary in vascular reconstructive procedures. Furthermore, because it supplies the bulk of the thigh musculature, plastic surgeons have shown great interest in the muscular branches of the deep femoral artery when designing procedures that incorporate myocutaneous flaps. This article gives a detailed account of the embryology, anatomical relations, important variations, and branches of the deep femoral artery. Recommendations for the surgical exposure of this artery at different levels are also presented.