The descending genicular artery (highest genicular artery) arises from the

femoral artery The femoral artery is a large artery in the thigh and the main arterial supply to the thigh and leg. The femoral artery gives off the deep femoral artery or profunda femoris artery and descends along the anteromedial part of the thigh in the fem ...

just before it passes through the

adductor hiatus In human anatomy, the adductor hiatus also known as hiatus magnus is a hiatus (gap) between the adductor magnus muscle and the femur that allows the passage of the femoral vessels from the anterior thigh to the posterior thigh and then the poplitea ...

. It immediately divides into two branches: * a saphenous branch, which classically joins with the medial inferior genicular artery. * muscular and articular branches.

Structure

Saphenous branch

The saphenous branch pierces the aponeurotic covering of the

adductor canal The adductor canal, also known as the subsartorial canal or Hunter’s canal, is an aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the thigh. It extends from the apex of the femoral triangle to the adductor hiatus. Structure The adductor canal extends ...

, and accompanies the

saphenous nerve The saphenous nerve (long or internal saphenous nerve) is the largest cutaneous branch Cutaneous innervation refers to the area of the skin which is supplied by a specific cutaneous nerve. Dermatome (Anatomy), Dermatomes are similar; however, a ...

to the medial side of the knee. It passes between the

sartorius muscle The sartorius muscle () is the longest muscle in the human body. It is a long, thin, superficial muscle that runs down the length of the thigh in the Anterior compartment of thigh, anterior compartment. Structure The sartorius muscle originates f ...

and the

gracilis muscle The gracilis muscle (; Latin for "slender") is the most superficial muscle on the medial side of the thigh. It is thin and flattened, broad above, narrow and tapering below. Structure It arises by a thin aponeurosis from the anterior margins o ...

, and, piercing the

fascia lata The fascia lata is the deep fascia of the thigh. It encloses the thigh muscles and forms the outer limit of the fascial compartments of thigh, which are internally separated by the medial intermuscular septum and the lateral intermuscular septu ...

, is distributed to the integument of the upper and medial part of the leg, anastomosing with the

medial inferior genicular artery The medial inferior genicular is an artery of the leg. Course It first descends along the upper margin of the popliteus, to which it gives branches; it then passes below the medial condyle of the tibia, beneath the tibial collateral ligament, at ...

Articular branches

The articular branches descend within the

vastus medialis muscle The vastus medialis (vastus internus or teardrop muscle) is an extensor muscle located medially in the thigh that extends the knee. The vastus medialis is part of the quadriceps muscle group. Structure The vastus medialis is a muscle present ...

, and in front of the tendon of the

adductor magnus muscle Adductor may refer to: * One of the anatomical terms of motion * Adductor muscle (disambiguation) * Adductor canal The adductor canal, also known as the subsartorial canal or Hunter’s canal, is an aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the th ...

, to the medial side of the knee, where they join with the medial superior genicular and

anterior recurrent tibial artery The anterior tibial recurrent artery is a small artery in the leg. It arises from the anterior tibial artery, as soon as that vessel has passed through the interosseous space. It ascends in the tibialis anterior muscle, ramifies on the front and s ...

. A branch from this vessel crosses above the patellar surface of the

femur The femur (; ), or thigh bone, is the proximal bone of the hindlimb in tetrapod vertebrates. The head of the femur articulates with the acetabulum in the pelvic bone forming the hip joint, while the distal part of the femur articulates with ...

, forming an anastomotic arch with the

lateral superior genicular artery The lateral superior genicular artery is a branch of the popliteal artery that supplies a portion of the knee joint. Course It passes above the lateral condyle of the femur, beneath the tendon of the Biceps femoris. Branching It divides into a s ...

, and supplying branches to the

knee-joint In humans and other primates, the knee joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two joints: one between the femur and tibia (tibiofemoral joint), and one between the femur and patella (patellofemoral joint). It is the largest joint in the hu ...

References

External links

{{Authority control Arteries of the lower limb