Which artery is the major supplier to the femoral head in adults?

• A. Medial femoral circumflex
• B. Lateral femoral circumflex
• C. Obturator
• D. Femoral artery proper

Answer: (A)

The femoral head in adults receives its main blood supply from the medial femoral circumflex artery. This vessel wraps around the femoral neck and gives rise to retinacular arteries that ascend along the neck and enter the head, delivering the majority of the blood to the femoral head and its cartilage. Because this network is the principal source, injuries that disrupt these retinacular vessels—such as femoral neck fractures or posterior hip dislocations—put the head at high risk for avascular necrosis.

The lateral femoral circumflex artery mainly supplies muscles on the lateral thigh and contributes less to the femoral head itself. The obturator artery can provide a small acetabular or ligament of the head of the femur branch, but this is not the primary, reliable source of the head’s blood in adults. The femoral artery proper contributes to surrounding tissues but is not the major direct supplier to the femoral head.