Editing Arterial exposures (section)

== '''PFA:''' ==

* Conventional (proximal) approach
** Begin with longitudinal exposure of the CFA
** Femoral bifurcation encountered 2-5cm distal to inguinal ligament on the lateral or posterolateral side of CFA
** Normally about 2cm of DFA can be exposed before the lateral circumflex vein is encountered on the anterior surface - must be carefully ligated
** Further exposure will probably require division of other crossing veins. Be careful that the femoral nerve is close by.
** Medial and lateral circumflex arteries most commonly originate from DFA, usually near the DFA origin
**
* Lateral (distal) approach
** Useful in re-operative surgery or as an alternative source of either inflow or outflow in bypasses
** Incision parallel to sartorius, 6-7cm distal to the femoral pulsation - can be on either the medial or lateral side of sartorius depending on the situation and the likely course of the bypass graft
** Dissect deep to superficial femoral vessels in a plane between vastus medialis and adductor longus.
** Deep femoral vein found under the intersecting raphes of these muscle fibres
** DFA deep to the vein
**