VEINS, LYMPHATICS, ARTERIES, AND NERVES 85 



2 2. Lateral circumflex (lateral femoral circumflex) a.: 

 Femoral (or profunda, as in man); to sartorius, quadriceps, 

 region of hip joint, tensor fasciae latae and other muscles; 

 anastomoses freely. 



23. Supreme genicular (genu suprema, highest genicular, 

 anastomotica magna) a. : Femoral, close to saphenous (24) and 

 popliteal (25), under sartorius m. at distal end of middle third of 

 femur; to medial and caudal regions of knee; anastomoses freely 

 but is rather small in size. 



24. Saphenous (saphena magna) a.: Femoral, caudad to, 

 with or near, supreme genicular (23); to ankle and os calcis 

 (malleolar a.) and continues as the posterior tibial a. along the 

 plantar surface of the foot. 



25. Popliteal a.: Femoral; by twigs to soleus and plantaris 

 muscles in popliteal region ; other important branches are given 

 off; then, passing through the interosseous membrane (between 

 the tibia and fibula), it gives off the anterior tibial a. (27). 



C. NERVES OF THE THIGH, LEG, AND FOOT 



(Nos. 11-16) 



The lumbosacral plexus is formed by fibers from eight or 

 more spinal nerves; 4-5 Lumbar (L.IV or V-VII) and 3-4 

 Sacrals (S.I-IV). Since the body cavity is not to be opened 

 at this time, it is impractical to trace out this plexus; therefore 

 the student will be obliged to depend largely upon location, 

 course, and distribution as criteria for indentifying the nerves of 

 the inferior limb. 



II. Femoral (anterior crural) nerve: Lumbar plexus, 

 mainly L.V; to abdominal wall, psoas muscles, thigh and integu- 

 ment. Just before leaving the abdominal cavity, in company 

 with the femoral artery, it gives off a large branch which divides 

 into several rami musculares nn. after entering the quadriceps 

 muscle with branches of the lateral circumflex artery (22). 

 Several other smaller muscular and cutaneous branches are 



