ARTERIES OF THE INFERIOR EXTREMITY. 



The internal circumflex, larger than the last, comes off 

 "below it, and sometimes from it. It passes deep between 

 the psoas and pectineus muscles, and winds round the neck 

 of the femur, supplying the hip joint and rotator muscles. 

 The perforating arteries are three or four in number, 

 and named numerically first, second, third, and fourth. 

 FIG. 258. They perforate the adductor magnus, and 

 are distributed to the muscles on the back 

 of the thigh. 



The anastomotica magna is the last branch 

 of the femoral just at its termination ; it 

 descends to supply the parts about the knee, 

 and to anastomose with the articular and 

 long branches of the external circumflex. 



Muscular brandies are given off by the 

 femoral through all its course. 



THE POPLITEAL ARTERY. 



The popliteal artery extends from the 

 opening in the tendon of the adductor 

 magnus, to the opening in the interosseous 

 ligament of the leg, and is a continuation 

 of the femoral. Its course is obliquely out- 

 ward to the centre and lower part of the 

 popliteal space, situated between the outer 

 and inner hamstring muscles, and imbedded 

 in a quantity of adipose matter. Both the 

 popliteal vein and nerve are superficial to 

 the artery. 



FIG. 258 represents the Popliteal and Posterior Tibial Artery. 1 Tendons 

 forming the inner hamstring. 2 Tendon of outer hamstring. 3 Popliteus 

 muscle. 4 Flexor longus digitorum. 5 Tibialis posticus. 6. Fibula. 7 

 Peroneii muscles. 8 Flexor longus pollicis. 9 Popliteal artery, which is 

 seen to give off at its upper part two superior articular branches, the one 

 external, the other internal ; also two at its lower part, called inferior external 

 and internal articular branches, with one in the centre the middle articular. 

 10 Anterior tibial artery. 11 Posterior tibial artery. 12 Relation of artery 

 with tendons at the ankle joint. 13 Peroneal artery. 14 Posterior peroneal 

 branch. 



