486 A MANUAL OF ANATOMY 



(b) The cremasteric from the deep epigastric of the external iliac anastomoses 

 with the superior external pudic of the common femoral. 



(c) The obturator of the internal iliac anastomoses with the internal circum- 

 flex of the arteria profunda femoris. 



(d) The deep circumflex iliac from the external iliac and the gluteal from the 

 internal iliac anastomose with the ascending branch of the external circumflex 

 from the arteria profunda femoris. 



(e) The sciatic of the internal iliac anastomoses with the transverse branch 

 of the internal circumflex, the transverse branch of the external circumflex, 

 and the first perforating artery, all branches of the arteria profunda femoris. 



(/) The sciatic and gluteal, both branches of the internal iliac, anastomose in 

 the digital fossa with the ascending branch of the internal circumflex of the 

 arteria profunda femoris. 



2. The Superficial Femoral Artery below the Origin of the Arteria Profunda 

 Femoris. — (a) The descending branch of the external circumflex of the arteria 

 profunda femoris takes part in the deep geniculate arterial rete. 



(b) The third and fourth perforating branches of the arteria profunda 

 femoris anastomose at the back of the thigh with the superior muscular 

 branches of the popliteal. 



(c) The fourth perforating artery and the descending branch of the external 

 circumflex, both from the arteria profunda femoris, anastomose with the lowest 

 muscular branch of the superficial femoral. 



A continuous anastomotic chain of arteries extends from the gluteal region 

 down the back of the thigh to the region of the knee, and it is formed in the 

 following manner : the gluteal anastomoses with the sciatic, the sciatic with 

 the external and internal circumflex, the gluteal, sciatic, external circumflex, 

 and internal circumflex with the perforating branches of the arteria profunda 

 femoris, and the perforating branches of the arteria profunda femoris with 

 the upper muscular and articular branches of the popliteal. This chain is of 

 special importance after occlusion of the common femoral artery, and the 

 comes nervi ischiadici branch of the sciatic is particularly liable to enlarge- 

 ment. 



Femoral Vein. — This vessel extends from the posterior margin of 

 the femoral opening, which is in connection with the adductor 

 magnus, to the lower border of Poupart's ligament, where it 

 becomes the external iliac vein. In the lower part of Hunter's 

 canal it lies close behind the superficial femoral artery, with a 

 slight inclination to the outer side. In ascending, however, 

 it soon takes up a position behind the artery, which it main- 

 tains until it has entered Scarpa's triangle. The vein now gradually 

 inclines to the inner side of the artery, and for about 2 inches below 

 Poupart's ligament it is quite to its inner side, but on the same 

 plane, being separated from the artery by the external septum of 

 the femoral sheath, and lying here between the pectineus and psoas 

 magnus. 



Tributaries. — ^These are as follows : the venae comites of the 

 anastomotica magna artery at the lower end of Hunter's canal ; 

 the venae comites of each of the muscular branches of the super- 

 ficial femoral artery; the profunda femoris vein at a point about 

 if inches below Poupart's ligament ; and the long saphenous 

 vein at a point about i^ inches below Poupart's ligament, and 

 above the point where the profunda vein terminates. The long 

 saphenous vein has been previously reinforced by the anterior 

 saphenous or external cutaneous femoral, the posterior sa])henous 

 or internal cutaneous femoral, the superficial circumflex iliac, the 



