
THE POSTERIOR LIMB. 225, 
surface of the leg. The femoral artery passes between the adductores 
longus and magnus, continuing as the popliteal artery (a. 
poplitea). 
The hypogastric artery (p. 203) appears in the greater sciatic 
notch, continuing thence as the sciatic artery (a. ischiadica). 
The vessel passes backward to the dorsal surface of the superior 
ramus of the ischium, where it divides into lateral caudal and 
internal pudendal branches. Its smaller branches are dis- 
tributed to the glutaei and biceps femoris muscles. 
**The femoral vein (v. femoralis) traverses the medial surface 
of the thigh in company with the femoral artery. It begins at the 
proximal end of the lower third of the thigh as a continuation of the 
popliteal vein (v. poplitea), which accompanies the corres- 
ponding artery. Its tributaries comprise the great saphenous, 
superficial epigastric, lateral circumflex, and profunda 
femoris veins. 
The sciatic vein (v. ischiadica) traverses the lateral surface of 
the thigh near its posterior margin, lying at first between the biceps 
and semimembranosus and afterwards on the posterior margin 
of the former. At the dorsal border of the ischium, in front of the 
ischial tuberosity, it receives the lateral caudal and internal 
pudendal veins. 
***The femoral nerve (n. femoralis) arises from the lumbo- 
sacral plexus, chiefly from the fifth lumbar. Its position between 
the psoas major and iliacus muscles has already been noted (p. 218). 
Immediately beyond the inguinal ligament it divides into two 
portions, one of which is distributed to the muscles of the anterior 
side of the thigh, while the other, the greater saphenous nerve 
(n. saphenus major), passes to the medial surface of the thigh and 
leg in company first with the femoral artery and afterwards with 
the great saphenous artery. 
The sciatic nerve (n. ischiadicus), formed chiefly from the 
seventh lumbar and first sacral nerves, appears laterally in the 
greater sciatic notch. It passes backward beneath the piriformis 
muscle, and then turns distad to the thigh, where it lies on the 
lateral surfaces of the adductores magnus and longus. It dis- 
tributes branches to the posterior musculature of the thigh. In 
the proximal portion of the thigh it divides into two chief branches, 
which are closely associated as far as the knee. The anterior 
