- Discussion:
-
Ascending Cervical Branches travel proximally under the hip
capsule
and continue proximally along neck deep to synovial membrane
toward the femoral head;
- these arteries are known as retinacular arteries;
- as cervical arteries traverse superficial surface of femoral neck,
they send many small branches into metaphysis of femoral neck;
- superior retinaculum vessels important for femoral head circulation;
- derived from
MFCA &
LFCA (along w/
inferior gluteal &
1st
profunda perforating;
- 3 chief groups:
- posterior inferior - posterior superior (from
MFCA);
- anterior (from
LFCA); - two nutrient arteries:
- from upper perforating arteriest of the profunda femoris;
- they enter the femur close to the linea aspera and run up &
down the marrow cavity;
- close proximity of retinacular arteries puts them at risk of injury in
any fracture of the femoral neck which may lead to
AVN;
