THE FEMORAL ARTERY 



579 



The Femoral Artery F.gs. 45o, 45 n 

 The femoral artery is the main arterial trunk of the thigh. It begins at the 

 level of the anterior border of the pubis, from which it is separated by the femoral 

 vein. It descends almost vertically in the femoral canal behind the sartorius 

 muscle, covered at first by the internal femoral fascia and lower down by the 

 gracilis. After passing over the insertion of the pectineus, it perforates the 

 adductor muscle, crosses in the vascular groove of the posterior surface of the femur, 

 and is continued between the two heads of the gastrocnemius as the popliteal artery. 



Fig. 457. — Disskction of Inguin.^l Region .\nu Inner Surf.'VCe of Thigh of Horse. 

 /. External pudic artery; 2, anterior branches of I; 3, posterior branches of 1; 4, transverse anastomosis 

 between external pudic veins; 4' venous plexus of dorsum penis; 5, femoral artery; 6, saphenous nerve; 7, an- 

 terior border of external inguinal ring; 8. obliquus abdominis internus; 9, posterior border of external inguinal 

 ring; 10, tunica vaginalis; 11, vas deferens; 13, cremaster mu.scle; 13, prepuce; 14. glans penis; 15, external 

 urethral orifice; 16, posterior branches of circumflex iliac vessels; 17, saphenous vessels; 18, fold of flank; 19, 

 penis (cut); A, superficial inguinal lymph glands; B, precrural lymph glands; C, deep inguinal lymph glands. 

 (.\fter Schmaltz, Atlas d. Anat. d. Pferdes.) 



It is related at its origin to the sartorius in front, the femoral vein behind (which 

 separates it from the pectineus), and the iliacus externally. Lower down it is 

 related superficially to the deep inguinal lymph glands, and deeply to the vastus 

 internus, while the saphenous nerve is in front of it, and the vein passes to its 

 external face. The chief branches are as follows: 



1. The prepubic artery (Truncus pudendo-epigastricus) arises from the femoral 

 artery at its origin, usually by a common trunk with the deep femoral. It passes 

 forw^ard and a little inward and downward across the edge of the inguinal ligament, 

 and then runs on the abdominal surface of the ligament to the inner part of the 

 internal inguinal ring, where it divides over the upper l^order of the internal oblique 

 muscle into the posterior al^dominal and external pudic arteries. 



(1) The posterior abdominal artery (A. epigastrica caudalis) passes along the 



