THE EXTERNAL ILIAC ARTERIES. 543 



FEMORAL ARTERY. (Fig. 277, 13). 



The femoral artery, a prolongation of the external iliac, which changes 

 its name on leaving the anterior border of the pubis, at first lies beneath the 

 crural arch, beside a cluster of lymphatic glands, in the space comprised 

 between the pectineal muscles, the long adductor of the leg, and the iliacus. 

 From this interstice it descends, accompanied by its satellite vein, which lies 

 behind it, and the internal saphena nerve, along the pectineus and vastus 

 interims, at the posterior border of the long adductor of the leg. It soon 

 leaves that muscle, however, to traverse the ring formed by the two branches 

 of the great adductor of the thigh and the oblique concavity on the posterior 

 face of the femur, and reaches the superior extremity of the gastrocnemii, 

 between which it is continued, and assumes the name of popliteal artery. 



On its course the femoral artery distributes a certain number of collateral 

 branches to the adjacent parts. These are : the prepubic, deep muscular, 

 superficial muscular, the small muscular, and saphena arteries. 



Preparation. The animal being placed in the first position, and the limb raised, the 

 skin is carefully removed from the inner aspect of the thigh, the external generative 

 organs in the inguinal region, and the interior abdominal wall. The saphena vein is 

 first to be exposed, and the branches of the artery of that name dissected : next, the 

 prepubic artery, which is to be sought for in the inguinal canal, and its branches 

 prepared by dissecting from their origin to their termination. The excision of a portion 

 of the adductors of the leg, and the great adductor of the thigh will sufficiently expose 

 the femoral artery and its other collateral branches. 



1. Prepubic Artery. (Fig. 275, 4.) 



This artery originates at the artificial line of demarcation which separates 

 the external iliac from the femoral artery, at the superior extremity of the 

 latter. It therefore emerges from that vessel at the anterior border of 

 the pubis, and never alone, but always with the deep muscular branch, 

 by means of a common and generally very short trunk, which springs at 

 an acute angle from the inner side of the femoral artery. 



The prepubic artery traverses the crural ring, opposite which it arises ; 

 it lies on the anterior face of Poupart's ligament, behind the neck of the 

 vaginal sheath, and after a very short course separates into two branches 

 the posterior abdominal and external pudic arteries. 



POSTERIOR ABDOMINAL ARTERY (Epigastric of Man) (Fig. 275, 5). 

 This leaves the external pudic artery at an acute angle, enters the femoral 

 ring by crossing the direction of the spermatic cord, places itself between the 

 small oblique and transverse muscles of the abdomen, passes forward 

 along the external border of the great rectus muscle, and finally enters the 

 substance of that muscle, where its terminal divisions anastomose with those 

 of the anterior abdominal artery. The numerous collateral branches this 

 artery throws off on its track principally go to the rectus muscle, or the 

 other parts composing the inferior abdominal wall, the skin included ; the 

 superior branches communicate with the circumflexa ilii. 



The position this artery occupies at its origin, and with reference to the 

 abdominal ring, is worthy of remark; indicating, as it does, that in 

 strangulated inguinal hernia division of the ring should be made outwards, 

 to avoid wounding the vessel. 



EXTERNAL PUDIC ARTERY (Fig. 275, 6). This artery descends at first 

 on the posterior wall of the inguinal canal, behind, and a little to the inside 

 of, the spermatic cord ; then, having passed the inferior ring of the canal, it 



