THE LOWER LIMB ^ 483 



The ascending branch passes upwards beneath the tensor fasciae 

 femoris to the fore part of the gluteal region. Its branches 

 supply the tensor fasciae femoris and the anterior portions of 

 the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. It also supplies an 

 articular branch to the hip-joint, which reaches the articulation 

 under cover of the rectus femoris. The ascending branch anasto- 

 moses with the gluteal of the posterior di\asion of the internal 

 iliac, and the deep circumflex iliac of the external ihac. 



The transverse branches are at least two in number. They enter 

 the vastus externus, in which they wind round the outer part of 

 the femur, supplying that muscle in their course. One of them, 

 piercing the femoral insertion of the gluteus maximus, reaches the 

 back of the thigh, where it anastomoses with the first perforating 

 artery, the sciatic, and the transverse branch of the internal circum- 

 flex, thus forming the crucial anastomosis. 



The descending branches are three or four in number. They 

 pass downwards with the nerve to the vastus externus, l5ang 

 along the anterior border of that muscle, and supplying in theii 

 course the rectus femoris, vastus externus, and crureus. One of 

 them is long, and descends upon the vastus externus as low as the 

 knee-joint, where, piercing that muscle, it anastomoses with the 

 superior external articular of the popliteal, the fourth or lowest 

 perforating of the arteria profunda femoris, the deep branch of the 

 anastomotica magna of the superficial femoral, and the lowest 

 muscular branch of the superficial femoral. The other descending 

 branches anastomose in the crureus with the lower two perforating 

 arteries. 



The internal circumflex artery is of smaller size than the 

 external. Arising from the inner and back part of the arteria 

 profunda femoris, opposite the origin of the external circmnflex, 

 it passes backwards round the inner side of the femur towards the 

 small trochanter. In this course it passes, in succession, between 

 the pectineus and psoas magnus, and between the adductor brevis 

 and obturator externus, gi\'ing off branches to the obturator 

 externus and adductor muscles. On reaching the inter\'al be- 

 tween the adductor brevis and obturator externus, it terminates 

 in two branches — ascending or anterior, and transverse or 

 posterior. 



The ascending or anterior branch passes with the obturator 

 externus to the digital fossa of the femur, where it anastomoses 

 with the gluteal and sciatic of the internal iliac, and the first 

 perforating, thus forming the digital anastomosis. 



The transverse or posterior branch continues the course of the 

 main artery backwards, passing between the upper border of the 

 adductor magnus and lower border of the quadratus femoris, 

 in which situation it anastomoses with one of the transverse 

 branches of the external circumflex, the first perforating, and 

 the sciatic of the internal iliac, thus forming the crucial anasto- 

 mosis. The branches which the iniernal circumflex gives to the 



I 



