THE LOWER LIMB 479 



Relations — Superficial or Anterior. — The skin ; superficial fascia ; 

 long saphenous vein ; fascia lata ; sartorius ; subsartorial plexus of 

 nerves ; the aponeurotic covering of Hunter's canal ; and the long 

 saphenous nerve in the act of crossing the vessel from its outer to 

 its inner side. External. — The vastus intemus, covering the 

 inner surface of the femur ; and the long saphenous nerve and the 

 nerve to the vastus internus, both in the upper half of the canal. 

 Internal. — At first the adductor longus, and lower down the 

 adductor magnus, both of which muscles also lie behind the artery. 

 In Hunter's canal the femoral vein still maintains its position close 

 behind the artery until the lower end of the canal is reached, when 

 the vein inclines a little to the outer side of the artery. 



The superficial femoral artery in Scarpa's triangle, as well as in 

 Hunter's canal, is surrounded by a sheath, which also contains the 

 femoral vein. 



Branches of the Femoral Artery. — The branches are as follows : 

 superficial epigastric ; superficial circumflex Hiac ; superior or 

 supei-ficial external pudic ; inferior or deep external pudic ; arteria 

 profunda femoris or deep femoral (aU from the common femoral) ; 

 muscular (from the superficial femoral in Scarpa's triangle and in 

 Hunter's canal) ; saphenous (from the superficial femoral in 

 Scarpa's triangle) ; and anastomotica magna (from the superficial 

 femoral in Hunter's canal). 



The superficial epigastric artery arises from the common femoral 

 about \ inch below Poupart's ligament. It then pierces the femoral 

 sheath and the cribriform fascia, or the outer border of the 

 saphenous opening, after which it turns upwards over Poupart's 

 ligament a little to the inner side of the centre, and ramifies 

 in the integmnent of the anterior abdominal wall as high as the 

 umbilicus. In its course it supplies branches to the inguinal glands, 

 and anastomoses with branches of the deep epigastric of the ex- 

 ternal iliac. 



The superficial circumflex iliac artery frequently arises in common 

 with the superficial epigastric. Having pierced the femoral sheath 

 and the outer border of the saphenous opening, it passes outwards 

 below the outer half of Poupart's ligament to the anterior part 

 of the iliac crest, where it ramifies in the integument of that 

 neighbourhood. In its coiu"se it supplies branches to the iliacus, 

 sartorius, and outer inguinal glan(fc, and anastomoses with the 

 deep circvmiflex iliac of the external iliac, and the gluteal of the 

 internal iliac. 



The superior or superficial external pudic artery arises from 

 the common femoral about | inch below Poupart's ligament. 

 Having pierced the femoral sheath and cribriform fascia, it emerges 

 through the saphenous opening, after which it passes inwards 

 and upwards over the spermatic cord, or round ligament of the 

 uterus, according to the sex, to be distributed to the integument 

 of the suprapubic region, the adjacent portion of the scrotiun in the 

 male, and the labium majus in the female, and the dorsimi of the 



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