Right femoral artery

Looks like

The main leg artery, entering the thigh under the groin crease, where its pulse is felt, and running down the front and inner thigh.

What it does

Carries all the blood for the leg; gives the deep femoral artery to the thigh and continues behind the knee as the popliteal artery.

Keeping it well

The usual entry point for heart and leg catheters. Narrowing causes calf pain on walking; a pulsing lump after a puncture needs a scan.

Its parts

• Right superficial epigastric artery
• Right deep femoral artery
• Right descending genicular artery

Related conditions

• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Erectile dysfunction
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hypothermia & frostbite
• Kawasaki disease
• Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis)
• Lymphoedema
• Metabolic syndrome
• Orthostatic hypotension & POTS
• Peripheral artery disease
• Phaeochromocytoma & hyperaldosteronism
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Pre-eclampsia
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• Restless legs syndrome
• Sepsis
• Shock (circulatory failure)
• Varicose veins
• Vasculitis (GCA & others)