THE ARTERIES. 3 11 



The artery extends distad, and at about the middle of the length 

 of the thigh it passes, along with the vein and nerve, into a 

 groove between the vastus medialis and the adductor femoris. 

 This groove is converted into a canal by the overlying aponeu- 

 rosis; it is known as Hunter's canal or the canalis adduc- 

 torius. At the distal end of the adductor femoris the femoral 

 artery ceases to be superficial and passes between the vastus 

 medialis and the semimembranosus to the popliteal space ; it 

 now receives the name A. poplitea. 

 Branches of the femoral artery : 



a. A. circumflexa femoris lateralis (Fig. 127, d}. The 

 lateral circumflex arises from the femoral about one centimeter 

 from its emergence from the abdominal cavity. It passes 

 craniad and laterad and divides into two main portions. One 

 part passes between the rectus femoris and vastus medialis, 

 gives branches to these muscles, and sends an ascending 

 branch to the structures about the hip-joint, and a descend- 

 ing branch into the vastus medialis muscle. The remainder 

 of the lateral circumflex passes along the inner (lateral) surface 

 of the sartorius ( i ) to the cranial border of the leg, giving 

 branches to the sartorius (i) and tensor fasciae latae (2). 



b. A large muscular branch (e) passes caudad (or ventrad) 

 and distad across the distal end of the adductor femoris (?) 

 and between the gracilis (9) and semimembranosus, supplying 

 these muscles. Other small muscular branches may be given 

 off from both sides of the femoral. 



c. A. articularis genu suprema (Ji). The superior articu- 

 lar artery arises from the femoral, either in common with the 

 saphenous artery or separately, a little proximad of the point 

 where the femoral ceases to be superficial. It passes toward 

 the knee, between the vastus medialis and semimembranosus, 

 and covered by the sartorius (i), and ramifies over the medial 

 surface of the knee-joint and in the structures just proximad of 

 the joint. 



d. A. saphena(/~). The saphenous artery frequently takes 

 origin in common with the superior articular (//), but may arise 

 separately at about the same level. It passes distad across the 

 gracilis (9), accompanied by the saphenous nerve (g) and vein, 



