MEDIAL SIDE OF THE THIGH 



269 



M. obturator externus 



Lateral 



circumflex 



artery 



series from the profunda femoris, and pass backwards through 

 the adductor muscles to the posterior region of the thigh. 

 They may be recognised from the close relation which they 

 bear to the linea aspera of the femur. The first perforating 

 artery comes off at the level of the distal or medial border of 

 the pectineus. It proceeds backwards through the adductor 

 brevis and adductor 

 magnus. The second 

 perforating artery 

 takes origin a short 

 distance distal to 

 the first perforating, 

 or perhaps by a 

 common trunk with 

 it. It pierces the 

 same muscles, viz., 

 the adductor brevis is t, 2 nd, and 

 and adductor 

 magnus. The third 

 perforating artery 

 springs from the 

 profunda, distal to 

 the adductor brevis, 

 and passes back- 

 wards through the 

 adductor magnus. 

 The fourth perforat- 

 ing artery, as before 

 noted, is the 

 terminal branch of 

 the profunda 

 femoris ; it pierces 

 the adductor 

 magnus alone. 



hes 



Femoral artery 



r magnus 



Art. genu 

 suprema (O.T. 

 anastomotic) 



Femoral artery 



FIG. 1 20. The Profunda Femoris Artery and its 

 The Superior Branches. 



nutrient artery of the femur may spring from either the second 

 or the third perforating branch. An inferior nutrient artery 

 is frequently present; it is often derived from the fourth 

 perforating artery. 



When the adductor magnus is more fully exposed it 

 will be seen that the perforating arteries, as they pierce its 

 tendon, are protected by a series of fibrous arches. The 



