Page 50 - ASOP ROT Study Guide

3.6 Blood Supply
The main artery supplying blood to the hip joint is the femoral artery. The femoral artery has a
deep branch, the profunda femoris (profunda means deep), which sends 2 blood vessels through
the joint capsule to circle the neck of the femur, called the medial and lateral circumflex arteries.
The lateral and medial circumflex arteries are the main supply of blood to the femoral head.
Whereas most bones have abundant backup (collateral) blood supply, the head of the femur only
has one other source of blood supply: a tiny branch of the obturator artery which travels through
the ligamentum teres. This tiny artery to the head of the femur is important in preventing
Avascular Necrosis of the head of the femur when the blood supply from the medial and lateral
circumflex arteries is disrupted (e.g. through fracture of the neck of the femur).

http://www.alpfmedical.info/femoral-head/vascular-
supply-to-the-femoral-head.html

http://www.bananarepublican.info/AVN.htm