POPLITEAL ARTERY. 



divisions of the crural nerve, then between the rectus and ciureus muscle, 

 and divides into three branches ; ascending, which inosculates with the 

 terminal branches of the gluteal artery ; descending, which inosculates with 

 the superior external articular artery ; and middle, which continues the 

 original course of the artery around the thigh, and anastomoses with branches 

 of the ischiatic, internal circumflex, and superior perforating artery. It 

 supplies the muscles on the anterior and outer side of the thigh. 



The Internal circumflex artery is larger than the external ; it winds 

 around the inner side of the neck of the femur, passing between the pecti- 

 neus and psoas, and along the border of the external obturator muscle, to 

 the space between the quadratus femoris and upper border of the adductor 

 magnus, where it anastomoses w r ith the ischiatic, external circumflex, and 

 superior perforating artery. It supplies the muscles of the upper and inner 

 side of the thigh, anastomosing with the obturator artery, and sends a small 

 branch through the notch in the acetabulum into the hip joint. 



The Superior perforating artery passes backwards between the pectin ens 

 and adductor brevis, pierces the adductor magnus near the femur, and 

 is distributed to the posterior muscles of the thigh ; inosculating freely 

 with the circumflex and ischiatic arteries, and with the branches of the 

 middle perforating artery. 



The Middle perforating artery pierces the tendons of the adductor brevis 

 and magnus, and is distributed like the superior ; inosculating with the 

 superior and inferior perforantes. This branch frequently gives off the 

 nutritious artery of the femur. 



The Inferior perforating artery is given off below the adductor brevis, 

 and pierces the tendon of the adductor magnus, supplying it and the flexor 

 muscles, and inosculating with the middle perforating artery above, and 

 with the articular branches of the popliteal below. It is through the me- 

 dium of these branches that the collateral circulation is maintained in the 

 limb after ligature of the femoral artery. 



The Muscular branches are given off by the femoral artery throughout 

 the whole of its course. They supply the muscles in immediate proximity 

 with the artery, particularly those of the anterior aspect of the thigh. One 

 of these branches, larger than the rest, arises from the femoral immediately 

 below the origin of the profunda, and passing outwards between the rectus 

 and sartorius divides into branches which are distributed to all the muscles 

 of the anterior aspect of the thigh. This may be named the superior mus- 

 cular artery. 



The Jinastomoticamagna arises from the femoral while in the tendinous 

 canal formed by the adductors and vastus internus. It runs along the ten- 

 don of the adductor magnus to the inner condyle, and inosculates with the 

 superior internal articular artery ; some of its branches are distributed to 

 the vastus internus muscle and to the crureus, and terminate by anasto- 

 mosing with the branches of the external circumflex and superior external 

 articular artery. 



POPLITEAL ARTERY. 



The popliteal artery (Fig. 160) commences from the termination of the 

 femoral at the opening in the adductor magnus muscle, and passes obliquely 

 outwards through the middle of the popliteal space to the lower border of 

 the popliteus muscle, where it divides into the anterior and posterior tibial 

 mery. 



