627 



I THE FEMORAL ARTERY 



the Adductor brevis, and the Adductor longus; and it is divided into two nearly 

 equal parts by the femoral vessels, which extend from near the middle of its base 

 to its apex: the artery giving off in this situation its superficial and profunda 

 branches, the vein receiving the deep femoral and great saphenous tributaries. 

 On the lateral side of the femoral artery is the femoral nerve dividing into its 

 branches. Besides the vessels and nerves, this space contains some fat and 



lymphatics. 

 The adductor canal (canalis adductorius; Hunter's canal) is an aponeurotic 

 tunnel in the middle third of the thigh, extending from the apex of the femoral 

 triangle to the opening in the Adductor magnus. It is bounded, in front and later- 

 ally, by the Vastus medialis; behind by the Adductores longus and magnus; and 

 is covered in by a strong aponeurosis which extends from the Vastus medialis, 

 across the femoral vessels to the Adductores longus and magnus; lying on the 

 aponeurosis is the Sartorius muscle. The canal contains the femoral artery and 

 vein, the saphenous nerve, and the nerve to the Vastus medialis. 



Superficial iliac circumflex vessels 



Femoral nerve 

 Superficial epigastric vessels 



Superficial external pudendal vessels 

 Deep external pudendal vessels 



Great saphenous vein 



Fia. 549. The left femoral triangle. 



Relations of the Femoral Artery. In the femoral triangle (Fig. 549) the artery is superficial. 

 In front of it are the skin and superficial fascia, the superficial subinguinal lymph glands, the 

 superficial iliac circumflex vein, the superficial layer of the fascia lata and the anterior part of 

 the femoral sheath. The lumboinguinal nerve courses for a short distance within the lateral 

 compartment of the femoral sheath, and lies at first in front and then lateral to the artery. Near 

 the apex of the femoral triangle the medial branch of the anterior femoral cutaneous nerve 

 crosses the artery from its lateral to its medial side. 





