170 



DISSECTION OF THE THIGH. 



Capsule : 



attachments 



above 



and below ; 



thickness 

 varies. 



Ilio-feinoral 

 ligament : 



attach- 

 ments ; 



division ; 



and use. 



Pubo- 



femoral 



band. 



Thin part of 

 capsule. 



Circular 

 band at back 

 of capsule : 



Muscles 

 around. 



The capsular ligament (fig. 63) is a thick fibrous case, whiclil 

 encloses the head and the greater part of the neck of the femur. ] t A li 

 upper margin is attached to the circumference of the acetabuluml 

 close to the edge, as well as to a transverse ligamentous band oveil 

 the notch at the lower part of the cavity. Its lower margin isl 

 inserted in front into the anterior intertrochanteric line ; behind, by I ill 

 a very thin piece, into the neck of the femur about a fmger'sltt 

 breadth from the small trochanter and the posterior intertro-l 

 chanteric line (fig. 64) ; and above, into the neck near the great! 

 trochanter. The capsule differs much in strength and in the 

 arrangement of the fibres at the fore and hinder parts. 



On the front it is strengthened by a broad and thick layer ofli 

 longitudinal fibres the ilio-femoral ligament (fig. 63). This is 

 fixed above, where it is about an inch broad, to the lower part of I 

 the anterior inferior iliac spine and to a rough mark continued 

 backwards therefrom on the outer surface of the ilium immediately 

 above the acetabuluin below the reflected head of rectus muscle. 

 Becoming wider below, it is inserted into the whole length of the 

 anterior intertrochanteric line ; and its fibres generally form two 

 stronger bands (fig. 63), which are attached at the upper and lower 

 ends respectively of the intertrochanteric line, with a thinner part 

 in the middle. From this arrangement the name of the Y-shaped 

 ligament has also been given to it. From its position, the ilio-femoral 

 ligament will arrest extension of the joint ; and when the femur is 

 fixed in standing it will support the pelvis. 



At the inner and fore part of the joint is a much smaller 

 band, which extends from the prominent portion of the pubis 

 internal to the acetabuluin to the lower end of the anterior 

 intertrochanteric line, and is named the pubo-femoral ligament 

 (fig. 63). 



Between the ilio-femoral and pubo-femoral ligaments, near the 

 hip-bone, the capsule is thin, and sometimes presents an open- 

 ing, through which the bursa under the ilio-psoas communicates 

 with the joint-cavity. 



At the back of the capsule is a band of transverse fibres (zonular 

 band) (fig. 64, 6), about half an inch wide, which arches like a 

 collar over the neck of the femur. By its lower edge it is united 

 to the bone by a thin layer (c) of fibrous tissue and synovial mem- 

 brane ; at the upper edge it is joined by the longitudinal capsular 

 fibres (a). It gives insertion to the longitudinal fibres of the 

 capsule, and prevents that restriction of the swinging movement 

 which would result from their insertion into the hinder part of the 

 neck. 



At the lower part of the capsule is another thickening (the ischio- 

 capsular band), which passes from the ischium below the acetabulum 

 into the lower and back part of the capsule. 



Posteriorly the joint is covered by the obturator interims and 

 gemelli muscles, and anteriorly by the rectus femoris and ilio- 

 psoas. Above is the glutens minimus, the tendon of which is 

 united to the capsule ; and below is the obturator externus. 



