THE LOWER EXTREMITY, ANTERIOR. 579 



The Deep Femoral Profunda Femoris. Figs. 117, 1 1 8, 

 1 19, 1 20. 



This is the largest and most important branch of the 

 femoral. It arises from the outer and back part of the 

 femoral at a point varying from one to two inches from 

 Poupart's ligament, the average distance being about one 

 and one-half inches. Its course is downward and inward 

 behind the femoral artery and vein, then behind the ad- 

 ductor longus muscle, behind which it continues to just 

 above the femoral opening in the adductor magnus, when 

 it perforates the latter close to its insertion and enters the 

 popliteal region as the last perforating artery. 



In its course it lies upon the iliacus, pectineus, adductor 

 brevis and magnus muscles. The vastus internus is at the 

 outer side of the artery. 



The Branches of the Profunda. 



(i) The External Circumflex. It arises from the 

 outer side of the profunda near the latter' s origin. It 

 passes outward under the sartorius and rectus femoris 

 muscles, interlacing with the branches of the anterior crural 

 nerve, and at the outer side of the thigh divides into the 

 ascending, transverse, and descending branches. (a) The 

 ascending branch (or branches) takes an upward course in 

 the interval between the tensor vaginae femoris, sartorius, 

 rectus femoris, gluteus medius and minimus, and iliacus 

 muscles. It supplies all these muscles, also, the hip joint, 

 and anastomoses with branches from the superior gluteal 

 and deep circumflex iliac arteries. (<) The transverse 

 branch (one to three) winds outward around the femur, 

 under the vastus externus, to anastomose at the back of 

 the thigh with the first perforating of the profunda, the 

 sciatic, and internal circumflex arteries. (See page 614.) 

 (r) Descending branches : These are large ones which turn 



