THE LOWER LIMB 



567 



and peroneal arteries ; and near its termination it 

 communicates with the long saphenous vein. 



Deep Veins. — The deep veins accompany the 

 various arteries and their branches. Below the 

 level of the pophteus muscle they are arranged in 

 pairs along the arteries which they accompany, 

 this arrangement being known as venae comites. 

 Opposite the lower border of the popliteus muscle 

 the posterior tibial venae comites, having pre- 

 \aously received the peroneal venae comites, unite 

 with the anterior tibial venae comites, and so the 

 popUteal vein is formed, which is continued into 

 the femoral vein. 



Lymphatic Vessels of the Lower Limb. 



The lymphatic vessels of the lower limb are 

 arranged in t^vo groups — superficial and deep. 



Superficial Lymphatics. — These form two sets, 

 which are conveniently designated as internal 

 saphenous and external saphenous from the veins 

 which they accompany. 



1. Internal Saphenous Lymphatics. — On the 

 plantar aspect of each toe there is a digital 

 lymphatic plexus, from which four Ijnnphatic 

 vessels emerge, these being arranged in pairs on 

 either side of the toe. They pass to a plexus on 

 the dorsal aspect of the foot, and this plexus is 

 reinforced by lymphatics from the plantar region 

 which reach it at the clefts bet\veen the toes. 

 From the dorsal plexus tvvo sets of vessels issue 

 — internal and external. The internal vessels 

 receive their lymph from about the inner one- 

 third of the dorsal plexus and from the inner two 

 toes. They also receive the internal plantar and 

 internal calcaneal lymphatic vessels, and there- 

 after they accompany the internal saphenous vein 

 and finally empty into the superficial femoral 

 glands. The externa! vessels of the dorsal plexus 

 receive their lymph from about the outer two- 

 thirds of the plexus and from the outer three toes. 

 They also receive some Ij^mphatic vessels from the 

 external plantar region. Thereafter they pass in 

 front of the external malleolus, and, as they ascend 

 in front of the leg, they soon inchne inwards and 

 join the internal vessels of the dorsal plexus, 

 which by this time form the internal saphenous 

 lymphatics. 



2. External Saphenous Lymphatics. — These ves- 

 sels come from the outer border of the foot, over 

 about its posterior half, and from the outer side of 

 the heel. They accompany the external saphenous 

 vein, and, as they ascend, they take up lymphatics 

 from the superficial structures of the back of the 

 leg. Finally they pierce the deep fascia over the 

 popUteal space, and terminate in the popliteal 

 glands, very often in that gland which hes close to 

 the termination of the external saphenous vein. 



The superficial femoral lymphatics from (i) the 

 lower and outer parts, (2) the front, (3) the lower 

 and inner parts, and (4) the posterior parts of the 

 thigh pass to the superficial femoral glands. The 



Fig. 265. — Superficial 

 Lymphatics of tiIe 

 Lower Limb. 



