FASCIA OF THE ABDOMEN. 551 



FASCIA OF THE POSTERIOR WALL. 



Fascia iliaca. This fascia, called also lumbo-iliac apon- 

 eurosis, occupies the iliac region, and may be traced as a 

 strong membrane covering the iliacus and psoas muscles, 

 connected with Poupart's ligament from the anterior supe- 

 rior process of the ilium as far as the external iliac artery, 

 where it passes beneath this vessel upon the thigh, form- 

 ing the posterior sheath of the femoral vessels, and being 

 continuous with the pectineal portion of the fascia lata. 

 Along Poupart's ligament it is also connected with, and 

 continued into the fascia transversalis. The fascia iliaca 

 can be followed below into the pelvic fascia ; above, after 

 covering the psoas and iliacus muscles, as high as the 

 diaphragm, it is connected to the ligamentum arcua- 

 tum and sides of the lumbar vertebrse, where it forms a 

 series of arches for the passage of the lumbar vessels and 

 some of the nerves. 



This fascia has the double use of giving strength to the 

 lower part of the abdomen by its firm union with Pou- 

 part's ligament, and of furnishing a strong covering to 

 the psoas and iliacus muscles. With the fascia transver- 

 salis, it also forms a, sheath for the femoral vessels at the 

 upper part of the thigh. At this point these two fascias 

 are still further connected by two vertical partitions, one 

 of which is between the femoral artery and vein, the other 

 between the vein and the femoral or crural ring. 



Superior wall of the abdomen, (the diaphragm.) Dissec- 

 tion. To expose this muscle, the abdominal viscera should 

 be removed, and the loins raised by placing a billet of wood 

 beneath the lumbar vertebra?. Then, dissecting off the 

 peritoneum from the lower surface, the diaphragm will be 

 seen as a movable curtain, dividing and separating the 

 abdominal and thoracic cavities. This muscle is broad, 

 and somewhat circular in its shape, consisting of a fleshy 

 and tendinous portion, and presenting two surfaces a 

 superior arid inferior, or thoracic and abdominal, the upper 

 surface being convex, the lower concave. The diaphragm 



