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Collateral artery pathways of the femoral and popliteal artery

Rombout R Kruse1, Denise E Doomernik2, Kasper V Maltha3

  • 1Department of Surgery, Isala Clinics, Zwolle, The Netherlands.

The Journal of Surgical Research
|May 15, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Collateral arteries in the leg primarily originate from the deep femoral artery (DFA), connecting significantly to the adductor canal and popliteal artery. Understanding these pathways is crucial for endovascular procedures.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular anatomy
  • Human cadaveric studies
  • Medical imaging and intervention

Background:

  • The clinical significance of collateral artery circulation in the lower limb is debated, especially concerning covered stents for occlusive disease.
  • Collateral pathways may be vital for managing acute thrombosis, potentially influencing outcomes with different stent types.
  • This study details the collateral anatomy of the deep femoral artery (DFA), superficial femoral artery (SFA), and popliteal artery (PA) in human cadavers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe and analyze the collateral pathways of the DFA, SFA, and PA in human cadavers.
  • To provide anatomical insights relevant to the clinical management of lower limb occlusive disease.
  • To inform endovascular procedure planning by detailing collateral vessel origins and terminations.

Main Methods:

  • Ten fresh frozen cadaver legs were utilized for the study.
  • The DFA and SFA were simultaneously injected with different colored latex mixtures.
  • Dissection, photography, and standardized vessel segmentation were employed to analyze collateral pathways across defined anatomical regions (femoral triangle, adductor canal, popliteal fossa).

Main Results:

  • A total of 113 collateral vessels were identified.
  • The majority of collaterals originated from the DFA (69 vessels), with 57% terminating in the SFA.
  • A significant portion (50%) of collaterals terminated in the distal adductor canal (H3) or proximal popliteal artery (P1), with many originating from this segment as well.

Conclusions:

  • Deep femoral artery (DFA) is the primary source of lower limb collateral circulation.
  • The H3-P1 segment is a critical junction for a majority of collateral pathways.
  • Findings have direct implications for planning endovascular interventions in lower limb arterial disease.
Abstract

Keywords:
CadaverCollateral arteryDeep femoral arteryPopliteal arteryPostmortalSuperficial femoral artery

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