1SS ANATOMY IN" A NUTSHELL. 



above Poupart's ligament to the sacro-iliac articulation, where it joins the in- 

 ternal iliac vein to make the common iliac vein. The right common iliac vein 

 is on the outer side of the right common iliac artery, but as it passes upward it 

 goes behind the artery. The left common iliac vein is on the inner side of the 

 left common iliac artery throughout its course. The radicles of the external 

 iliac vein arc the deep epigastric and the deep circumflex iliac veins, and a 

 small pubic vein. The external iliac vein may have one or two valves. 



The internal iliac vein, which unites with the external iliac vein at the 

 sacro-iliac articulation to form the common iliac vein, lies at first on the inner 

 side of ami then behind the artery. It receives radicles corresponding to all 

 the branches of the internal iliac artery except the umbilical (hypogastric.) 

 Jt drain- the viscera in the pelvis in the following manner: (1) the internal 

 pudlc vein receives radicles which corresponds to all the branches of the internal 

 pudic artery except the dorsal artery of the penis. (2) Around the lower end 

 of the rectum there is a hemorrhoidal plexus which is formed by the hem- 

 orrhoidal veins. (3) The blood which passes through the superior hemorrhoidal 

 vein empties into the inferior mesenteric vein, while the blood which empties 

 into the middle ami inferior veins passes into the internal iliac vein, thus is 

 established a free communication between the portal venous system and the 

 general venous system. (4) The plexus, which surrounds the vaginal mucous 

 membrane and is well developed near the orifice, and anastomoses with the 

 vesical and hemorrhoidal plexuses before it joins the internal iliac vein. (5) 

 The plexus which lies at the sides and upper angles of the uterus between the 

 layers of the broad ligament is called uterine plexus, and it drains the sub- 

 stance of 4ie uterus and communicates with the ovarian veins before it joins 

 the internal iliac vein. 



The common iliac veins are formed by the external and internal iliac veins 

 at the sacro-iliac articulation from which point they ascend obliquely upward to 

 the righl >ide of the median line of the spine between the fourth and fifth lum- 

 bal- vertebra where they join one another to form the inferior vena cava. The 

 right one, which is more vertical than the left, passes at first behind and then 

 to the outer side of the cuimnon iliac artery. The left one, which is more ob- 

 lique and longer than the right, passes, for the most part, to the right side of the 

 left common iliac artery but passes behind its artery above. Each of these 

 veins receives the ilio-lumbar vein and occasionally the lateral sacral vein. The 

 left one. in addition, receives the middle sacral vein. No valves are found in 

 these veins. 



The inferior vena cava, (Plate XC) which ends in the lower and back part 

 of the righl auricle of the heart near the Eustachian valve, has no length above 

 the Diaphragm. It passes from the fifth lumbar vertebra where it is formed by 

 the righl and lefi common iliac veins upward in front of the spine on the right 

 side of the aorta, and in it> course it passe^ in a groove on the posterior surface 

 of the liver and pierces the central tendon of the Diaphragm. At this point 

 it enters the fibrous pericardium and is partially invested by the serous peri- 

 cardium. 



The lumbar veins, (Plate XC) which drain the structures of the abdominal 



