The Femoral artery is the most significant artery of the thigh. It provides the blood circulation into the leg and thigh. Also functions as a stress point for stopping blood circulation in the event of acute injury to the lower extremity. How to find femoral pulse?
The femoral artery is the prolongation of the external iliac artery in the lower extremity. It begins immediately below the crural arch. It ends at the junction of the middle and lower thirds of the thigh. And becomes the popliteal artery after the knee.
Once discovered, the artery will offer a strong heartbeat. It might function as a fantastic alternative to carrying an individual’s heartbeat when the carotid artery isn’t available. How to find femoral pulse?
Function
One of its functions is to be an access artery for the catheters. Needed to perform some medical studies.
Through it, guides and catheters can be directed to any part of the arterial system. For surgery or diagnostic purposes, including the heart, brain, kidneys, and upper and lower limbs.
It provides blood to the thighs and oxygen. It also provides blood to the knee and foot.
How to find femoral pulse?
By pressing the fingers in the groin, just below the medial part of the inguinal ligament. We can press the femoral artery against the femur bone and feel its pulse.
In some patients the femoral pulse can be felt lower down, even near the Hunter canal.
Since the femoral artery is a high caliber blood vessel, the femoral pulse is usually strong and full.
We can say that each person has two femoral pulses, one right and one left.
Both femoral pulses are synchronous under normal conditions, so it is common to take both.
It is also synchronous with the radial pulse. In an arterial pulse examination, the synchrony of the radial pulse and femoral on both sides must be compared.
For some patients the femoral pulse may be weak or difficult to locate. Therefore is not common to use it when trying to detect the pulse as a vital sign. For which it is often used radial pulse (in the wrist) or carotid (in the neck).
In obese people it is especially difficult to find the femoral pulse. The absence of femoral pulse can be a sign of lack of irrigation to the lower extremity. If it is detected, the irrigation should be verified by taking the pulse in lower areas. Mainly behind the knee (popliteal artery, femoral prolongation) and in the ankle (posterior tibial artery).
A suggestion
Exercise palpating the place. This way you will be familiar with precisely where to locate it.
Warnings
- Do not press too hard on the femoral artery. This can occlude the artery, causing the blood circulation to stop, rather than let you correctly take the pulse.
- Do not use your thumb to discover the pulse. Your thumb has its heartbeat, so may hinder the heartbeat you’re attempting to find.
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