Question
A 65-year-old male with a history of chronic hip pain presents to your clinic. On examination, you suspect avascular necrosis of the femoral head due to compromised blood supply.
Based on your understanding of the vascular anatomy of the hip, which artery is most commonly implicated in the development of this condition?
| A. |
Medial circumflex femoral artery
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| B. |
Lateral circumflex femoral artery
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| C. |
Obturator artery
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| D. |
None of the above
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Show Answer
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Correct Answer � A
Explanation
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|
Medial circumflex femoral artery. This artery plays a crucial role in supplying blood to the femoral head. It provides the majority of the blood supply to the femoral head, and occlusion or damage to this artery can lead to avascular necrosis.
The artery’s significance is due to its contribution to the crucial extracapsular arterial ring and its ascending branches that directly supply the femoral head.
Reasons for ruling out other options are-
Option B, the Lateral circumflex femoral artery, primarily supplies the greater trochanter and is less involved in supplying the femoral head; thus, it is not typically associated with avascular necrosis of the femoral head.
Option C, the Obturator artery, supplies blood to the acetabulum and part of the femur, but not directly to the femoral head, making it an unlikely cause of avascular necrosis in the absence of other contributing factors.
