The femoral artery
Femoral artery · arteria femoralis
The main artery of the thigh, whose pulse you can feel in the groin.
What it does
The femoral artery enters the thigh beneath the inguinal ligament, halfway between the hip bone and the pubic bone. It runs down the inner thigh under the sartorius muscle, giving a large deep branch to the thigh, before passing behind the knee as the popliteal artery.
Surprising fact
The femoral artery is a common route for threading catheters to the heart and brain, because it is large and its pulse is easy to find in the groin.
Why it matters
A deep wound to the inner thigh can sever this artery and cause life-threatening bleeding, which is why firm pressure in the groin is a key first-aid skill.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.