Corpus: Descending genicular artery
Synonym: highest genicular artery
1. Definition
The descending genicular artery is a branch of the femoral artery.
2. Anatomy
The descending genicular artery arises from the femoral artery just before it passes through the hiatus tendineus – the niche in the tendon of the adductor magnus muscle. It is the most distal branch of the femoral artery. Directly thereafter, it divides into the following branches:
- Saphenous branch
- Articular branches
2.1. Saphenous branch
The saphenous branch pierces the aponeurosis of the adductor canal, the vastadductor membrane, and accompanies the saphenous nerve to the medial side of the knee. There it runs between the sartorius muscle and the gracilis muscle to the surface and pierces the fascia lata to branch out in the integument on the medial side of the thigh. It anastomoses with the inferior medial genicular artery.
2.2. Articular branches
The articular branches descend within the vastus medialis muscle and ventral to the tendon of the adductor magnus muscle caudally to the medial side of the knee. There they anastomose with the superior medial artery and the anterior tibial recurrent artery in the genicular anastomosis.