lHE deep femoeal aetery. 



■45: 



some others which pierce the fascia lata ; it is distributed to the 

 integument. 



All the preceding arteries give small branches to the lymphatic 

 glands in the groin. 



Fig. 293. 



Fig. 293. — Deep View of the Femo- 

 KAL Artery and its Branches on 

 THE Left Side (from R. Quain). | 



Tlie sartoriiis muscle lias been re- 

 moved in part, so as to expose the 

 artery in the middle third of the thigh. 

 a, the anterior sujierior iliac spine ; h, 

 the aponeurosis of the external oblique 

 muscle near the outer abdominal ring, 

 c, rectus femoris muscle ; d, abductor 

 longus ; e, fibrous sheath of Hunter"s 

 canal covering the artery ; 1, femoral 

 artery ; 1', femoral vein divided and 

 tied close below Poupart's ligament ; 2, 

 profunda femoris artery ; o, anterior 

 crural nerves, the figure lies between 

 two superficial eijigastiic branches ; 3', 

 superficial cii'cumflex iliac artery ; 4, 

 internal circumflex branch ; 5, super- 

 ficial i3udic branches ; 6, external cir- 

 cumflex branch, w^ith its ascending 

 transverse and descending branches 

 separating from it ; 6', twigs to the 

 rectus muscle ; 7, branches to the 

 vastus internus muscle ; 8 and 9, 

 some of the muscular branches of the 

 femoral ; -+-, origin of the superior per- 

 forating artery. 



The deep femoral artery 



— (profunda femoris) the prin- 

 cipal nutrient vessel of the 

 thigh, is an artery of consider- 

 able calibre, being nearly equal 

 in size to the continuation of 

 the femoral after the origin of 

 this great branch. It usually 

 arises from the outer and back 

 part of the femoral artery, 

 about an inch and a half below 

 Poupart's ligament. At its com- 

 mencement, it inclines outwards 

 in front of the iliacus muscle, 



to such an extent as to be visible for a short distance external to the 

 femoral artery ; it then runs downwards and backwards behind that 

 vessel, and passing between the long and great adductor muscles near 

 their femoral attachments, divides into terminal branches, which pierce 

 the great adductor, and ramify in the muscles at the back and outer 

 part of the thigh. 



This artery lies successively in front of the iliacus, pectineus, adductor 

 brevis and adductor magnus muscles. The femoral and profunda veins 



