THE LOWER LIMB 



491 



In addition to the accessory ligaments, the capsule receives ex- 

 pansions from the reflected head of the rectus femoris and gluteus 

 minimus. When the hip- joint is opened the innermost fibres of 

 the capsular ligament are seen to be reflected upwards from their 

 femoral attachments upon the neck of the femur as far as the 

 margin of the articular cartilage of the head. The longitudinal 

 folds thereby produced are called retinacula. Three of these are 

 specially well marked, two being situated anteriorly, and corre- 

 sponding in position with the outer and inner bands of the ilio- 

 femoral ligament, and the other being situated at the upper and 

 back part of the neck. 

 The capsular ligament is strongest anteriorly and superiorly. 



The thinnest part is situated 

 between the ilio- femoral and 

 pubo- femoral ligaments. In 

 fhis region there is some- 

 times an opening in the 

 capsule which allows the 

 bursa beneath the ilio-psoas 

 to communicate with the 

 synovial membrane of the 

 joint. The capsule is also 

 thin where it is attached to 

 the posterior surface of the 

 neck of the femur and to 

 the transverse ligament. It 

 is to be noted that, though 

 the anterior surface of the 

 neck of the femur is entirely 

 covered by the capsular 

 ligament, and is therefore 

 intracapsular, the posterior 

 surface of the neck is only 

 intracapsular in its upper 

 two- thirds, the lower third 

 being wholly extracapsular. 

 The ligamentum teres is 

 also called the inter articular ligament. Its femoral extremity, 

 which is single and somewhat flattened, is attached to the 

 upper part of the rough pit on the head of the femur behind 

 and below its centre. On approaching the cotyloid notch, the 

 ligament becomes expanded and divides into two bands, which 

 are attached to the margins of the notch and to the under surface of 

 \ the transverse ligament. The direction of the ligament is down- 

 ^ wards from the femur to the cotyloid notch, and it rests upon the 

 ; Haversian gland in the bottom of the acetabulum. It is invested 

 by the synovial membrane of the hip-joint, which forms a tubular 

 ! prolongation around it. A small nutrient artery is conducted by 

 ' the ligament to the head of the femur. 



Fig. 239. — Interior of the Left 

 Hip-Joint. 



I. Head of Femur; 2, Ligamentum Teres; 

 3, Haversian Gland ; 4, Cartilage of 

 Acetabulum ; 5, Cotyloid Ligament. 



