THE MUSCLES OF THE LOWER LIMB. 625 



the diaphragm, and thence descends over the anterior surface of the psoas. On reach- 

 ing the level of the crest of the ilium, it is prolonged outward along that structure, 

 where it is in connection with the lower edge of the transversalis fascia. It descends 

 thence over the anterior surface of the psoas and iliacus, at the inner border of the 

 former muscle passing over into the pelvic fascia. Below it is attached in its lateral 

 two-thirds to Poupart's ligament, more medially it remains in contact with the ilio- 

 psoas and passes down into the thigh behind the femoral vessels, separating these 

 structures from the muscle and the anterior crural nerve and forming the posterior 

 wall of the sheath for the femoral vessel. It thus divides the space beneath Pou- 

 part's ligament (Fig. 599) into a muscular compartment (lacuaa musculorum) which 

 contains the ilio-psoas muscle and the anterior crural and external cutaneous nerves, 

 and a vascular compartment (lacuna vasorum) which contains the femoral artery and 

 vein and the crural branch of the genito-crural nerve, its innermost portion, between 

 the femoral vein and the free edge of Gimbernat's ligament, transmitting only a few 

 loosely arranged lymphatic vessels and forming what is termed the femoral ring 

 (annulus femoralis). 



This ring (Fig. 599), which is covered over by a portion of the transversalis 

 fascia, known as the septum crurale or fevwrale, is the upper end of a space, occu- 



FiG. 599. 



Anterior superior iliac spine 



Iliac fascia attached to Poupart's ligament 



Aponeurosis of external oblique 

 • Iliacus muscle 



Anterior crural nerve 



Femoral artery- 

 Femoral vein 



External abdominal ring 



^. , , ,. . __-— ^ — ^''3^ - — Obturator nerve 



Gimbernat s ugamenf^ ■''^ Arterv 



Femoral ring-'*^ ^^''^ T~~ — V^'" 



Iliac fascia continued as^* 

 posterior wall of femo- 

 ral sheath 



Pudic branch of obturator 



Obturator membrane 



Dissection showing structures contained within the muscular and vascular 

 compartments formed by attachments of iliac fascia. 



pied by loose areolar tissue and lymphatic vessels, which extends a short distance 

 downward along the inner side of the femoral vein, forming what is termed the 

 femoral canal. Owing to the nature of its contents and to its upper end being 

 closed only by the relatively thin septum femorale, this canal may allow of the 

 escape of a portion of the intestine from the abdominal cavity downward into the 

 thigh, producing a femoral hernia. 



Medially the portion of the iliac fascia which forms the posterior wall of the 

 sheath for the femoral vessels is continued over the anterior surface of the pectineus 

 muscle (Fig. 1496), this portion of it being sometimes termed the pectineal or ilio- 

 pectineal fascia. Above it is attached to the ilio-pectineal eminence and below 

 becomes continuous with the deep layer of the fascia lata. 



3. Pectineus (Fig. 600). 



Attachments. — The pectineus arises from the anterior surface of the superior 

 ramus and ilio-pectineal line of the pubis and passes downward and laterally to be 

 inserted into the pectineal line of the femur, a bursa intervening between it and 

 the bone. 



, 40 



