RESUMEN
Introduction: Studying the possible variations of the profunda femoris artery and its circumflex femoral brancheswill guide surgeons and other health professionals during surgical and radiological procedures.Methods: The study investigated variations in the vascular patterns of origin of the profunda femoris artery, themedial circumflex femoral and the lateral circumflex femoral artery in 20 (7 males and 13 females) Thielembalmed cadavers of the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID), University of Dundee, DundeeUnited Kingdom. Distances were measured between the origin of the PFA and midpoint of the inguinal ligament,between the origins of the MCFA and PFA and from the origin of LCFA to the origin of PFA. The data were analysedwith IBM SPSS.Results: The PFA originated mostly from posterolateral aspect of the FA and the PFA was found to also originatefrom anteromedial side of the FA. The medial and lateral circumflex femoral arteries originated from the PFA withincidences of 47.5% and 87.5% respectively, both originated separately as a common origin with PFA and fromthe femoral artery.Conclusion: Variation research can potentially reduce complications that may arise from ignorance of theramifications in the vascular patterns. An awareness of PFA variations will help to carry out radiologicalinterventions, to define vascular patterns, helps during orthopaedic procedures in the femoral region such aship replacement and is also a basic requirement during femoral artery puncture to minimise cases of severesecondary bleeding