228 VISCERAL ANATOMY. 



which would come before the peritoneum in the above list. It is not suffi- 

 ciently dense to make an appreciable covering. 



FEMORAL HERNIA. 



Where and What is the Femoral Canal ? The Femoral or Crural 

 Canal lies beneath Poupart's ligament, 1 close to the inner side of the femoral 

 vein * ; and extends from the Femoral Ring to the Saphenous Opening in the 

 fascia lata of the thigh. It is a narrow interval between the femoral vein and 

 the inner wall of the Crural Sheath or sheath of the vessels. The canal is 

 # to ]/ 2 inch in length ; is closed above by the Septum Crurale, below by the 

 Cribriform Fascia ; and contains only some loose areolar tissue and a few 

 lymphatic vessels. The 



Femoral or Crural Ring, is an oval-shaped opening, about ]/ 2 inch in 

 FIG. 115. diameter (larger in the female), 



situated below the internal abdo- 

 minal ring' and Poupart's liga- 

 ment, 1 and between the inner side 

 of the femoral vein and the mar- 

 gin of Gimbernat's ligament. 5 It 

 is closed by the Septum Crurale 

 and a small lymphatic gland. The 

 arrow in the figure goes into the 

 femoral ring. 



Saphenous Opening? is an oval- 

 shaped structure, i^ inch long, }/ 2 

 inch wide, situated below the inner 

 third of Poupart's ligament, and 

 formed by a reflection inwards of 

 the fascia lata around the end of the internal saphenous vein. 3 The outer 

 margin curves over to the spine of the pubes, and is named the Falci- 

 form Process, or Ligament of Burns, its pubic end being often called 

 the Ligament of Hey. The inner margin curves upwards behind the 

 saphenous vein and under the outer margin, and is blended with the pubic 

 portion of the fascia lata over the pectineus muscle. The opening is 

 covered by the Cribriform Fascia. 



What are the Boundaries of the Femoral Canal ? 



Anteriorly, Poupart's ligament, Transversalis fascia, and the Falciform Pro- 

 cess of the fascia lata. 



Posteriorly, Iliac fascia, and Pubic portion of the fascia lata. 



Externally, the Septum covering the femoral vein. 



