472 SAPHENOUS NERVES. 



from the anterior part of the crural, and after perforating the sar- 

 torius muscle to which they give filaments, pierce the fascia lata and 

 are distributed to the integument of the middle and lower part of the 

 thigh and of the knee. The most external of these nerves perforates 

 the upper part of the sartorius, communicates with the crural branch 

 of the genito-crural, divides into two branches at about the middle of 

 the thigh, and gives off numerous filaments to the anterior and outer 

 aspect of the limb as far as the patella. The internal nerve perforates 

 the muscle at about its middle, pierces the fascia lata at the lower 

 third of the thigh, descends to the inner condyle, and curves forward 

 to the front of the knee, supplying the integument by many filaments. 

 Besides these another cutaneous branch derived from the muscular 

 branch to the vastus externus is found on the outer side of the lower 

 third of the thigh. 



The Muscular brandies are several large twigs which are distributed 

 to the muscles of the anterior aspect of the thigh. One of these is 

 sent to the rectus ; one to the vastus externus, which gives off a 

 cutaneous twig to the outer aspect of the thigh ; one to the cruraeus, 

 and one large and long branch to the vastus internus. From the two 

 latter, filaments are distributed to the periosteum and knee-joint. 

 The sartorius receives its supply of nerves from the cutaneous nerves 

 by which it is perforated. 



The Branch to the femoral slieath is a small nerve which passes in- 

 wards to the sheath of the femoral vessels at the upper part of the 

 thigh, and divides into several filaments which surround the femoral 

 and profunda vessels. Two of these filaments, one from the front, 

 and the other from the posterior part of the sheath, unite to form a 

 small nerve which escapes from the saphenous opening and passes 

 downwards with the saphenous vein. Other filaments are distributed 

 to the adductor muscles, and communicate with the long saphenous 

 nerve. 



The Short saplienous nerve (n. cutaneus internus) inclines inwards 

 to the sheath of the femoral vessels, and divides into a superficial and 

 a deep branch. The superficial branch passes downwards along the 

 inner border of the sartorius muscle to the lower third of the thigh ; it 

 then pierces the fascia lata, joins the internal saphenous vein, and 

 accompanies that vessel to the knee-joint, where it terminates by 

 communicating with the long saphenous nerve. The deep branch de- 

 scends on the outer side of the sheath of the femoral vessels, and 

 crosses the sheath at its lower part to a point opposite the termi- 

 nation of the femoral artery, where it divides into several filaments 

 which constitute a plexus by their communication with other nerves. 

 One of these filaments communicates with the descending branch of 

 the obturator nerve, another with the long saphenous nerve, and two 

 or three are distributed to the integument upon the internal and 

 posterior aspect of the thigh. 



The Long saphenous nerve (n. cutaneus internus longus) inclines 

 inwards to the sheath of the femoral vessels, and entering the sheath 



