198 HUMAN ANATOMY. 



Anastomotica magna, gives off two branches superficial, 

 accompanying the long saphenous nerve, and deep branch, to the 

 inner side of knee, and supplies knee-joint. 



THE POPLITEAL ARTERY 



descends from the opening in the adductor magnus to the lower 

 border of the popliteus muscle, passing behind the knee-joint, 

 where it divides into the anterior and posterior tibial arteries. 

 Its branches are : 



Muscular, gives off two principal branches: 



Superior, to flexors of thigh and vastus externus muscles; 



Inferior, or sural, to heads of gastrocnemius and plantaris. 



Cutaneous, supplies the skin of the calf; 



Superior external articular, supplies knee-joint and vastus 

 externus ; 



Superior internal articular, supplies knee-joint and vastus 

 internus ; 



Azygos articular supplies the synovial membrane and liga- 

 ments of joints; 



Inferior external articular, supplies knee-joint and fibular 

 head; 



Inferior internal articular, supplies knee-joint and head of 

 tibia. 



THE ANTERIOR TIBIAL ARTERY 



descends from the bifurcation of the popliteal at the lower border 

 of the popliteus muscle; passes over the upper border of the 

 interosseous membrane, between the two heads of the tibialis 

 posticus, and descends on the anterior part of the interosseous 

 membrane and lower part of the tibia to the ankle-joint, where 

 it terminates as the dorsalis pedis. 



In the upper third of its course it lies between the tibialis anticus 

 and extensor longus digitorum, resting upon the interosseous membrane, 

 in the middle third, between the tibialis anticus and extensor proprius 

 pollicis, and at the lower third it becomes more superficial, and lies 

 between the extensor proprius and extensor longus digitorum tendons. 



Its branches are: 



Recurrent tibial, ascends to supply the front and sides of 

 the knee-joint and anastomose with the anastomotica magna 

 and popliteal ; 



Muscular, supplying the muscles and skin of the neighbor- 

 ing parts; 



Internal malleolar, arises two inches above the ankle-joint, 

 and supplies it and the structures on its inner side; 



