THE FEMOEAL AETEEY. 949 



side of the thigh ; it then pierces the deep fascia, and terminates in the scrotum, 

 where it anastomoses with the posterior scrotal branches of the perineal and the 

 anterior scrotal branches of the superficial external pudendal arteries, and with 

 the external spermatic branch of the inferior epigastric artery. In the female it 

 terminates in the labium majus. 



(4) Arteria Profunda Femoris. The profunda artery (Fig. 778) is the largest 

 branch of the femoral artery. It arises about 37 mm. (an inch, and a half) distal 

 to the inguinal ligament, from the lateral side of the femoral artery. It curves 

 backwards and medially, passes posterior to the femoral artery, and runs distally, 

 close to the medial aspect of the femur, to the distal third of the thigh, where 

 it perforates the adductor magnus and passes to the back of the thigh. Its 

 termination is known as the fourth perforating artery. As the profunda descends 

 it lies anterior to the iliacus, the pectineus, the adductor brevis, and the adductor 

 magnus. It is separated from the femoral artery by its own vein, by the femoral 

 vein, and by the adductor longus muscle. 



Aw- 

 Branches. (a) Muscular branches are given off from the profunda, both in the 



femoral trigone and whilst it lies between the adductor muscles ; many of them terminate 

 in the adductors, others pass through the adductor magnus, and terminate in the 

 hamstrings, where they anastomose with the transverse branch of the medial circumflex 

 and with the proximal muscular branches of the popliteal artery. 



(6) The lateral circumflex artery (Figs. 778 and 779) springs from the lateral side of 

 the profunda, or occasionally from the femoral artery proximal to the origin of the profunda. 

 It runs laterally, anterior to the iliacus and between the superficial and deep branches of 

 the femoral nerve, to the lateral border of the femoral trigone ; then, passing posterior to 

 the sartorius and the rectus femoris, it terminates by dividing into three terminal branches 

 the ascending, the transverse, and the descending. Before its termination it supplies 

 branches to the muscles mentioned and to the proximal part of the vastus iritermedius. 



(i.) The ascending terminal branch runs proximally and laterally, posterior to the rectus 

 femoris and the tensor fasciae latae, along the linea intertrochanterica, to the anterior borders 

 of the glutaei, medius and minimus, between which it passes to anastomose with the deep 

 branches of the superior glutaeal artery. It supplies twigs to the neighbouring muscles, anasto- 

 moses with the glutaeal, the deep circumflex iliac, and the transverse branch of the lateral 

 circumflex arteries, and, as it ascends along the linea intertrochanterica, it gives off a branch 

 which passes, between the two limbs of the ilio-femoral ligament, into the hip-joint, (ii.) The 

 transverse terminal branch is small ; it runs laterally, between the vastus intermedius and the 

 rectus femoris, passes into the substance of the vastus lateralis, winds round the femur, and 

 anastomoses with the ascending and descending branches, with the perforating branches of the 

 profunda, and with the inferior glutaeal and medial circumflex arteries, (iii.) The descending 

 terminal branch runs distally, posterior to the rectus and along the anterior border of the vastus 

 lateralis, accompanied by the nerve to the latter muscle. It anastomoses with the transverse 

 branch, with twigs of the inferior perforating arteries, with the arteria genu suprema of the 

 femoral, and with the superior lateral genicular branch of the popliteal artery. 



(c) The medial circumflex artery springs from the medial and posterior part of 

 the profunda, at the same level as the lateral circumflex, and runs backwards, through 

 the floor of the femoral trigone, passing between the psoas major and the pectineus ; 

 then it crosses the upper border of the adductor brevis, and continuing backwards, below the 

 neck of the femur, it passes between the adjacent borders of the obturator externus and the 

 adductor brevis to the upper border of the adductor magnus, where it divides into two 

 terminal branches, a transverse and a profunda branch (O.T. ascending). 



Branches. (i.) An acetabular branch is given off as the artery passes below the neck of 



the femur. It ascends to the acetabular notch where it anastomoses with twigs from the 



posterior branch of the obturator artery, and it sends branches into the acetabular fossa and 



.ong the ligamentum teres to the head of the femur, (ii.) A superficial branch, which passes 



medially, anterior to the pectineus and between the adductors brevis and longus. (iii) Muscular 



branches are given off to the neighbouring muscles. The largest of these branches usually arises 



nmediately before the termination of the artery ; it runs distally, on the anterior aspect of the 



Iductor magnus, and anastomoses with the muscular branches of the profunda artery, (iv.) The 



ofunda terminal branch (ascending) passes upwards and laterally, between the obturator 



ternus and the quadratus femoris to the trochanteric fossa of the femur, where it anastomoses 



ith branches of the superior and inferior glutaeal arteries, (v.) The transverse terminal branch 



3 backwards to the hamstring muscles, usually between the lower border of the quadratus 



lemons and the upper border of the adductor magnus, but it may pierce the upper part of the 



