Abstract
The dorsalis pedis artery is responsible for blood supply to the dorsal aspect of the foot and is vital in
the clinical assessment of the arterial supply thereof. Clinical assessment should consider anatomical variations
of dorsalis pedis artery. Clearly, a thorough understanding of the potential variations of the vasculature in the
area is important for a precise clinical assessment of arterial supply to the foot. The aim of this study was to
investigate the different branching patterns of the dorsalis pedis artery that exist in a South African population.
Methods: A Cadaveric study in which a total of 33 dissected lower limbs (27 adult cadavers and 6 partial wet
lower limb specimens) of a South African population sample were studied. The course and branching pattern of
the dorsalis pedis artery were photographed and documented.
Results: Nine variations of the dorsalis pedis artery were recorded, with the standard branching pattern being the
most common with an incidence of 36.36% and a completely absent dorsalis pedis artery variation was noted in
6.06% of the sample.
Conclusion: Nine variations of the arterial anatomy of the dorsalis pedis artery were identified in this current
study. Each of these may possibly alter the location or strength of the dorsalis pedis pulse affecting clinical
assessment outcomes. Knowledge of dorsalis pedis variations may be useful to clinicians when making clinical
decisions.