A rare variant of femoral artery branching: direct origin of the lateral circumflex femoral artery from the femoral artery. A cadaveric case report.

BACKGROUND: Understanding anatomical variations in the vascular system, especially in larger arteries such as the femoral artery and circumflex femoral arteries, is crucial for surgical procedures, planning, and radiological diagnosis. CASE REPORT: This report describes a rare branching pattern variant involving the lateral circumflex femoral artery, identified during cadaveric dissection of a 71-year-old female at the Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. RESULTS: In this case, the lateral circumflex femoral artery originated directly from the second part of the femoral artery, while the deep femoral artery gave rise to the medial circumflex femoral artery. CONCLUSIONS: The described branching pattern of the femoral artery constitutes a rare anatomical variation. Knowledge of such variants is essential for surgeons and radiologists, as it may influence operative strategy and help prevent inadvertent vascular injury during procedures performed in the femoral region.