594 



DISSECTION OF THE THIGH. 



end of the femur. Above and below it communicates, beneath the muscles, 

 with the back of the thigh and leg. 



In the hollow are contained the popliteal vessels with their branches, 

 and the ending of the external saphenous vein ; 

 the popliteal trunks of the great sciatic nerve, 

 and some of their branches; together with 

 lymphatic glands, and a large quantity of fat. 

 The small sciatic nerve and its vessels are 

 placed superficially in the ham ; and a branch 

 of the obturator nerve lies on the artery in 

 the bottom of the space. 



The POPLITEAL ARTERY (fig. 202, 1 ) is the 

 continuation of the femoral, and reaches from 

 the opening in the adductor magnus to the 

 lower border of the popliteus muscle, where 

 it terminates by bifurcating into the anterior 

 and posterior tibial vessels. A portion of the 

 artery lies in the ham, and is uncovered by 

 muscle ; but the rest is beneath the gastrocne- 

 miu, and beyond the limits of the popliteal 

 space as above defined. The description of 

 the artery may be divided therefore into two 

 parts, corresponding with this difference in 

 the connections. 



In the ham the vessel is inclined obliquely 

 from the inner side of the limb to the interval 

 between the condyles of the femur ; and is then 

 directed along the middle of the space over 

 the knee-joint. As far as the inner condyle 

 the artery is overlaid by the belly of the semi- 

 membranosus muscle ; but thence onwards it 

 is situate between the heads of the gastrocne- 

 mius, and is covered only by the fascia lata 

 and the integuments. Beneath it is the femur 

 with the posterior ligament of the knee-joint. 

 In contact with the vessel, and somewhat 

 on the outer side at first, lies the popliteal vein, 

 so that, on looking into the space, the arterial 

 trunk is almost covered ; but in the interval 

 between the heads of the gastrocnemius, the 

 vein and its branches conceal altogether the 

 artery. Below the knee the short saphenous 

 vein (fig. 203, z), and the muscular branches 

 of the artery, are laid over the popliteal trunk. 

 More superficial than the large vessels, and 

 slightly external to them in position, is placed the internal popliteal nerve, 

 which with its branches lies over the artery, like the vein, between tin? 

 heads of the gastrocnemius. In the bottom of the hollow the small obtura- 

 tor nerve runs on the artery to the joint. 



Dissection. To see the deep part of the artery the inner head of the 

 gastrocnemius should be cut through, and raised from the subjacent parts. 

 On removing the areolar tissue the vessels and nerves will appear. The 

 lower articular branches of the vessels and nerve are now brought into 



VIEW OF THE POPLITEAL SPACE 

 /Quain's Arteries). 



1. Popliteal vessels. 



2. Internal popliteal nerve. 



3. External popliteal nerve. 



4. Semimembranosus muscle. 



5. Semitendinosus muscle. 



6. Biceps muscle. 



7. 8. Inner and outer heads of the 



gastrocnemius muscle. The 

 superficial vein on the gastroc- 

 nemius is the short saphenous, 

 which enters the popliteal. 



