THE FEMOKAL NERVE. 



725 



reach to the front of the patella, and there assist in the formation of the patellar 

 plexus. The lateral branch communicates, in the proximal third of the thigh, with 

 twigs from the lumbo-inguinal branch of the genito-femoral nerve. 



The medial cutaneous nerve lies at first in the femoral triangle on the lateral 

 side of the femoral vessels. At the apex of the triangle it crosses over the femoral 

 vessels, and is directed distally over or through the sartorius muscle, and beneath 



TH THORACIC - { j - - HT9 THORACIC 



, N ^_ - 1 2T" THORACIC 



\ ^BB tLIO-HYPOGASTRIC 



Sir 



- -I lUO-INGUINAL 



I2T M THORACIC 



GENITO-FEMORAL 



LATERAL CUTANEOUS N.\ 



/ 



OF THE THIGH 



L.I 



V^LsU. ^ f POSTERIOR CUTANEOUS N. 



VJI- - "\OF THE T.HIftM 





INTERMEDIATE CUTANEOUS RAMI 



LATERAL CUTANEOUS 

 OF THE LEG 



SUPERFICIAL PERONEAL N. 



SURAU N. 



"4 \ OBTURATOR 



-MEDIAL CUTANEOUS RAMI 



' INFRAPATELLAR BR. 



SAPHENOUS N. 



] L2Z 



L.2.3 



L.3.4 



L.3.4 



DEEP PCRONEAL N. 



A B 



FIG. 627. DISTBIBUTION OF CUTANEOUS NERVES ON THE FRONT OF THE LOWER LIMB. 

 On the left side the distribution of the several nerves is represented in colour. 



On the right side a schematic representation is given of the areas supplied by the above nerves, the figures 

 indicating the spinal origin of the branches of distribution to each area. 



the fascia lata, to the distal third of the thigh. It is distributed to the skin of 

 the distal two-thirds of the thigh on the medial side by means of three branches 

 proximal, middle, and distal. 



The proximal branch may be represented by two or more twigs. It arises 

 from the main nerve near its origin, and pierces the fascia lata near the apex of 

 the femoral triangle. It is distributed to the skin of the proximal part of the 

 thigh, along the line of the great saphenous vein. The middle or anterior branch is 

 a larger nerve. It separates from the distal branch at the apex of the femoral 

 triangle, and passing over the sartorius muscle becomes cutaneous in the middle 



47 a 



