The normal vascular anatomy of the femoral head in adult man

Abstract

1. The form and distribution of the blood vessels within the adult human femoral head are described. 2. It has been found possible to delimit the proximal femoral epiphysis in mature years by reference to arterial form alone. 3. Two morphologically different sets of vessels are described interposed between the arterioles and venules of the bone marrow. One, a true capillary bed, lies mainly within the fat marrow; the other, constituted by sinusoids, lies within the red marrow. The departure of these fi ndings from current views is noted. 4. A capillary system is described in relationship to the calcifi ed zone of the articular cartilage. 5. No evidence has been found in support of the common belief that the circulation within the femoral head decreases quantitatively with advancing age.