The anatomical variants of the profunda femoris artery and of its collaterals.

The profunda femoris artery, the main nutritive artery of the thigh, has a great surgical significance. The high frequency of the occlusive arterial disease in the lower limbs caused by atherosclerosis, imposes as main therapy the reconstructive surgery. Because the profunda femoris artery remains patient in most of the cases of the occlusive arterial disease of the lower limbs, it means the only hope of saving an critically ischemic limb in a desperate attempt of a surgeon to avoid amputation.