654 SPINAL NERVES. 



External to the pelvis, the following branches are given off: 



From the Anterior Division. From the Posterior Division. 



Middle cutaneous. Muscular. 



Internal cutaneous. Articular. 



Long saphenous. 



The middle cutaneous nerve (Fig. 355) pierces the fascia lata (occasionally the 

 Sartorius also), about three inches below Poupart's ligament, and divides into 

 two branches, which descend in immediate proximity along the fore part of 

 the thigh, distributing numerous branches to the integument as low as the front 

 of the knee, where the middle cutaneous communicates with a branch of the 

 internal saphenous nerve. Its outer branch communicates, above, with the 

 crural branch of the genito-crural nerve; and the inner branch with the inter- 

 nal cutaneous nerve below. The Sartorius muscle is supplied by this or the 

 following nerve. 



The internal cutaneous nerve passes obliquely across the upper part of the 

 sheath of the femoral artery, and divides in front, or at the inner side, of that 

 vessel, into two branches, anterior and internal. 



The anterior branch perforates the fascia lata at the lower third of the thigh, 

 and divides into two branches, one of which supplies the integument as low 

 down as the inner side of the knee; the other crosses the patella to the outer 

 side of the joint, communicating in its course with the long saphenous nerve. 

 A cutaneous filament is occasionally given off from this nerve, which accom- 

 panies the long saphenous vein; and it sometimes communicates with the inter- 

 nal branch of the nerve. 



The inner branch descends along the posterior border of the Sartorius muscle 

 to the knee, where it pierces the fascia lata, communicates with the long saphe- 

 nous nerve, and gives off several cutaneous branches. The nerve then passes 

 down the inner side of the leg, to the integument of which it is distributed. 

 This nerve, beneath the fascia lata, joins in a plexiform network, by uniting 

 with branches of the long saphenous and obturator nerves (Fig. 356). When 

 the communicating branch from the latter nerve is large, and continued to the 

 integument of the leg, the inner branch of the internal cutaneous is small, and 

 terminates at the plexus, occasionally giving off' a few cutaneous filaments. 



This nerve, before subdividing, gives off a few filaments, which pierce the 

 fascia lata, to supply the integument of the inner side of the thigh, accompany- 

 ing the long saphenous vein. One of these filaments passes through the saphe- 

 nous opening ; a second becomes subcutaneous about the middle of the thigh ; 

 and a third pierces the fascia at its lower third. 



The long, or internal saphenous nerve, is the largest of the cutaneous branches 

 of the anterior crural. It approaches the femoral artery where this vessel 

 passes beneath the Sartorius, and lies on its outer side, beneath the aponeurotic 

 covering, as far as the opening in the lower part of the Adductor Magnus. It 

 then quits the artery, and descends vertically along the inner side of the knee, 

 beneath the Sartorius, pierces the deep fascia between the tendons of the Sar- 

 torius and Gracilis, and becomes subcutaneous. The nerve then passes along 

 the inner side of the leg, accompanied by the internal saphenous vein, descends 

 behind the internal border of the tibia, and, at the lower third of the leg, divides 

 into two branches : one continues its course along the margin of the tibia, ter- 

 minating at the inner ankle ; the other passes in front of the ankle,. and is distri- 

 buted to the integument along the inner side of the foot, as far as the great toe. 



Branches. The long saphenous nerve, about the middle of the thigh, gives off 

 a communicating branch, which joins the plexus formed by the obturator and 

 internal cutaneous nerves. 



At the inner side of the knee, it gives off a large branch (n. cutaneus patellse), 

 which pierces the Sartorius and fascia lata, and is distributed to the integument 

 in front of the patella. This nerve communicates above the knee with the ante- 



