768 



SURGICAL ANATOMY OF FEMORAL HERNIA. 



intimately adherent above to the lower margin of Poupart's ligament, and about 

 one inch below this ligament covers the saphenous opening in the fascia lata, 

 is closely united to its circumference, and is connected to the sheath of the 

 femoral vessels corresponding to its under surface. The portion of fascia covering 

 this aperture is perforated by the internal saphenous vein, and by numerous blood- 

 vessels and lymphatics ; hence it has been termed, from its sieve-like appearance, 

 the cribriform fascia. A femoral hernia, in passing through the saphenous open- 

 ing, receives the cribriform fascia as one of its coverings. 



The deep layer of superficial fascia, together with the cribriform fascia, having 

 been removed, the fascia lata is exposed. 



The Fascia Lata, already described (p. 328), is a dense fibrous aponeurosis, 

 which forms a uniform investment for the whole of this region of the limb. At 

 the upper and inner part of the thigh, a large oval-shaped aperture is observed in 

 it ; it transmits the internal saphenous vein and other small vessels, and is called 

 the saphenous opening. In order the more correctly to consider the mode of 



Fig. 384. Femoral Hernia, showing Fascia Lata and Saphenous Opening. 



formation of this aperture, the fascia lata in this part of the^thigh is described as 

 consisting of two portions, an iliac portion and a pubic portion. 



The iliac portion of the fascia lata is situated on the outer side of the saphenous 

 opening, covering the outer surface of the Sartorius, the Rectus, and the Psoas 

 and Iliacus muscles. It is attached externally to the crest of the ilium and its 

 anterior superior spine, to the whole length of Poupart's ligament as far internally 

 as the spine of the pubes, and to the pectineal line in conjunction with Gimber- 



