THE LOWER LIMB 



441 



beneath the approximation of the external and internal heads of 

 the gastrocnemius. 



General Relations. Superficial or Posterior. — Skin, superficial and 

 deep fasciae, small sciatic ner\'e, terminal part of the external or 

 short saphenous vein, fat, semimembranosus for about i inch after 

 the artery enters the space, approximation of the external and 

 internal heads of the gastrocnemius, and the plantaris, which 

 crosses the artery from without inwards. Deep or Anterior. — Fat, 

 pophteal surface or trigone of the femur, posterior hgament of 

 the knee-joint, and pophteus muscle, covered by the pophteal fascia. 



Cnirens — 



Internal Popliteal Nerve 

 Popliteal V 



Popliteal 



Biceps 



■perior Ext. Artjcniar .\rtery 



External Popliteal Nerve 



E vtemal Head of Gastrocnemius- — 



External Popliteal Ner\-e- 

 Ramus Commnnicans Fibolaris — 



Lateral Cutaneous Branch of- 

 External Popliteal Nerve 

 Middle Cutaneous Sural .Artery 



Small Sciatic Nerve 

 (cut) 



-Semimembranosus 



Gracilis 

 Semitendinosns 



Internal Popliteal Nerve 



Internal Head of 

 Gastrocnemius 

 Sartorius 



Ramus Communlcans 

 Tibialis 



•Short Saphenous Vein 

 (cut) 



Fig. 222. — ^The Popliteal Space (Superficial Dissection). 



Special Relations. — In the upper part of the space the pophteal 



is close behind, and on the outer side of, the artery, and the 



^temal pophteal nerv-e is close behind, and on the outer side of, the 



1, so that they overlap one another. In the middle of the space 



le pophteal vein is entirely behind the arter}-, and the internal 



)pliteal ner\-e is directly behind the vein. In the lower part 



the space the pophteal vein is close behind, and on the inner side 



f, the artery, and the internal pophteal ner^^e is close behind, and 



the inner side of, the vein, a relation which is the reverse of that 



the upper part of the space. The geniculate branch of the obtu- 



Itor nerve (when present), having pierced the adductor magnus 



