Morphological investigation of deep femoral artery variations using multidetector computed tomography angiography

The deep femoral artery (DFA) is the largest and thickest branch of the femoral artery (FA), separated from the posterior lateral surface of the FA. This study aimed to analyze the anatomy of DFA using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) angiography images to improve its clinical applications.

Eight hundred right and left DFA MDCT angiography images from 400 individuals, 302 males (75.5%) and 98 females (24.5%), were included.

It was determined that the DFA originates from six different aspects of the FA. The DFA was found to most commonly originate from the posterolateral aspect of the FA, with an incidence of 53%. The DFA originated from the posterior, lateral, medial, anterolateral, and posteromedial aspects at an incidence of 35.3%, 9.8%, 1%, %0.5, and 0.37%, respectively. The average distance between the DFA's origin and the midpoint of the inguinal ligament (IL) was 43.07 mm across both genders. The average distance between the DFA's origin and the midpoint of the IL was 43.07 mm. The average diameters of the DFA, medial circumflex femoral artery (MCFA), and lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA) were 5.62 mm, 3.01 mm, and 3.44 mm, respectively. The average distance between the DFA and MCFA was 14.64 mm, while between the DFA and LCFA, it was 19.05 mm.

Knowledge regarding the anatomical variants and morphology of the DFA will enhance the accuracy of decision-making during interventional procedures and operations in the femoral region, as well as aid in the prevention of iatrogenic injuries.