240 



THE VASCULAR SYSTEM. 



Fig. 158. 



the tibio-fibula and the M. peroneus to be distributed to the skin 

 of the heeL Above it anastomoses with the A. circumjiexa genu inf. 

 lateralis, and below with the malleolar arteries. 



d. The Art. malleolaris lateralis (v/t) arises a little beyond the 

 last artery ; it raws outwards under the origin of the 31. flexor tarsi, 

 gives branches to the joint and muscles, and terminates in the skin 

 of the outer border and dorsal surface of the foot. 



e. The Art. maUeolaris medialis {in.m.) arises at about the 

 same level as the Art. maUeolaris lat. from the inner border of the 

 anterior tibial artery. It supplies branches to the joint, gives nu- 

 merous branches to the skin, which anastomose with the Art. snralis, 

 and passes to the inner border of the foot, where it ends by dis- 

 tributing branches to the Il.jdantaris, the extensor aponeurosis, and, 

 as the Art. cutanea plantaris, to the skin of the sole of the foot. 



E. The dorsal artery of the foot [Art. dor salis pedis), (Fig. 

 157 t.a.) runs under the M. flexor tarsi posterior to the point ta*, 



where it is superficial ; the artery then 

 bifurcates ; the branches are : — 



a. The Art. tarsea (fr) which arises from 

 the dorsal artery of the foot while under 

 cover of the M. flexor tarsi posterior ; it 

 passes to the M. extensor digiti J and to 

 the skin of the dorsum and outer border 

 of the foot. One branch courses along 

 the outer border of the fifth toe to its tip ; 

 another passes upwards to anastomose 

 with the neighbouring vessels. 



b. The inner branch, formed by the 

 bifurcation of the dorsal artery of the 

 foot, at once divides to form : — 



(1) The Art. cutanea halhcis (//) to the 

 supplemental great toe. 



(2) The Art. interossea dorsalis I {j}), 

 which at once bifurcates to form two 

 Rami digitales for the first and second toes; 

 these inosculate with the Art. cutanea 



plantaris, and send twigs to the skin of the inner border of the foot. 

 c. The outer branch formed by the bifurcation of the dorsal 

 artery divides to form the Arteriae interossei dorsales II, III, and IV 

 {i^, i^, i^) ; they are distributed in a rich anastomosis to the web. 



Arteries of the sole of the foot. 



i Art. interossea. 

 pf Rami i)erforantes. 



