- 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