1194 



THE SURGICAL ANATOMY OF HERNIA. 



cribriform fascia, and below it is continuous with the pubic portion of the fascia 

 lata. 



The pubic portion of the fascia lata is situated at the inner side of the saphenous 

 opening : at the lower margin of this aperture it is continuous with the iliac 

 portion : traced upward, it covers the surface of the Pectineus, Adductor longus, 

 and Gracilis muscles ; and, passing behind the sheath of the femoral vessels, to 

 which it is closely united, is continuous with the sheath of the Psoas and Iliacus 

 muscles, and is attached above to the ilio-pectineal line, where it becomes 

 continuous with the fascia covering the Iliacus muscle. From this description it 

 may be observed that the iliac portion of the fascia lata passes in front of the 

 femoral vessels and the pubic portion behind them, so that an apparent aperture 



FIG. 763. Femoral hernia, showing fascia lata and saphenous opening. 



consequently exists between the two, through which the internal saphenous joins 

 the femoral vein. 



The Saphenous Opening is an oval-shaped aperture measuring about an inch 

 and a half in length and half an inch in width. It is situated at the upper and 

 inner part of the front of the thigh, below Poupart's ligament, and is directed 

 obliquely downward and outward. 



Its outer margin is of a semilunar form, thin, strong, sharply defined, and lies 

 on a plane considerably anterior to the inner margin. If this edge is traced 

 upward, it will be seen to form a curved elongated process, the falciform process 

 or superior cornu, which ascends in front of the femoral vessels, and, curving 

 inward, is attached to Poupart's ligament and to the spine of the os pubis and 

 pectineal line, where it is continuous with the pubic portion. If traced down- 

 ward, it is found continuous with another curved margin, the concavity of which 

 is directed upward and inward : this is the inferior cornu of the saphenous 



