PROFUNDA ARTERY. 



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Plan of the relations of the Profunda Artery. 



In Front. 



Profunda vein, 

 Adductor longus. 



Inner Side. 



Pectineus, 

 Adductor brevis, 

 Adductor magnus. 



Profunda artery. 



Outer Side. 



Psoas and Iliacus, 

 Vastus internus, 

 Femur. 



Behind. 



Pectineus, 



Tendon of psoas and iliacus, 

 Adductor brevis, 

 Adductor magnus. 



Branches. The branches of the profunda artery are the external 

 circumflex, internal circumflex, and three perforating arteries. 



The External circumflex artery passes obliquely outwards between 

 the divisions of the crural nerve, then between the rectus and crureus 

 muscle, and divides into three branches ; ascending, which inosculates 

 with the terminal branches of the gluteal artery ; descending, which 

 inosculates with the superior external articular artery; and middle, 

 which continues the original course of the artery around the thigh, 

 and anastomoses with branches of the ischiatic, internal circumflex, 

 and superior perforating artery. It supplies the muscles on the ante- 

 rior and outer side of the thigh. 



The Internal circumflex artery is larger than the external ; it winds 

 around the inner side of the neck of the femur, passing between the 

 pectineus and psoas, and along the border of the external obturator 

 muscle, to the space between the quadratus femoris and upper border 

 of the adductor magnus, where it anastomoses with the ischiatic, ex- 

 ternal circumflex, and superior perforating artery. It supplies the 

 muscles on the upper and inner side of the thigh, anastomosing with 

 the obturator artery, and sends a small branch through the notch in 

 the acetabulum into the hip-joint. 



The Superior perforating artery passes backwards between the pec- 

 tineus and adductor brevis, pierces the adductor magnus near the 

 femur, and is distributed to the posterior muscles of the thigh ; inos- 

 culating freely with the circumflex and ischiatic arteries, and with the 

 branches of the middle perforating artery. 



The Middle perforating artery pierces the tendons of the adductor 

 brevis and magnus, and is distributed like the superior ; inosculating 

 with the superior and inferior perforantes. This branch frequently 

 gives off the nutritious artery of the femur. 



The Inferior perforating artery is given off below the adductor 

 brevis, and pierces the tendon of the adductor magnus, supplying it 

 and the flexor muscles, and inosculating with the middle perforating 



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