THE HEART AND VASCULAR SYSTEM. 197 



THE FEMORAL ARTERY 



extends from Poupart's ligament down the inner side of the 

 thigh to the opening in the adductor magmis (Hunter's canal), 

 where it becomes the popliteal. Its course corresponds to a line 

 drawn from a point midway between the anterior superior spine 

 of the ilium and the symphysis pubis to the inner tuberosity of 

 the internal condyle. In the upper part of its course it is super- 

 ficial, where it passes through Scarpa's triangle, but in the lower 

 part it passes backward and becomes very deep. Where it passes 

 under Poupart's ligament the femoral vein is to the inner side, 

 and the anterior crural nerve to the outer side; thus, from within 

 outward, V. A. N. 



Relations. It is in relation in front with the sartorius, the long 

 saphenous nerve, a branch of the anterior crural nerve, and is covered 

 by the fascia lata; behind it is in relation with the psoas magnus, 

 adductor longus, adductor magnus and pectineus, and the profunda 

 vein, and about the middle with the femoral vein; at its inner side it 

 is in relation with the sartorius and adductor longus muscles, and at 

 its upper part with femoral vein; on the outer side, with the vastus 

 internus, and at its lower part, the femoral vein. 



The branches of the femoral artery are : 



Superficial epigastric, descends through the saphenous open- 

 ing in the fascia lata, and ascends in abdomen, supplying the 

 skin, inguinal glands, and superficial fascia; 



Superficial circumflex iliac,, passes outward to the skin of the 

 groin and over crest of ilium ; 



Superficial external pudic, supplies the skin on the lower 

 part of the abdomen ; 



Deep external pudic, supplies the scrotum in the male, the 

 labia pudendi in the female; 



Profunda femoris, arises about two inches below Poupart's 

 ligament, and passes beneath the adductor longus, giving off 

 the following: 



External circumflex, gives off ascending, transverse, and 

 descending branches, supplying the muscles on the front of the 

 thigh as low as the knee; 



Internal circumflex, passes internally, supplying the adduc- 

 tor muscles and the hip-joint; 



Three perforating, pierce the adductor magnus and brevis, 

 and supply the flexor muscles of the thigh, and give off the 

 medullary nutrient artery. The vessel terminates by a fourth 

 perforating. 



Muscular, vary in number, and supply the sartorius and 

 vastus internus; 



