5 o THE POCKET ANATOMY 



and below to the head of the fibula and outer tuberosity of 

 the tibia. The fascia lata is attached below to the head of 

 the tibia and sides of the patella, being strengthened by 

 aponeuroses from the vasti muscles. Behind the fascia passes 

 across between the hamstring muscles, enclosing the popliteal 

 space. 



The Saphenous Opening. This is an aperture in the fascia 

 lata in upper and inner part of the thigh, through which the 

 internal saphenous vein passes. It is covered by the cribri- 

 form fascia. To describe it, the fascia is spoken of as con- 

 sisting of two parts, of pubic portion on the inner side of the 

 opening and continuous below with the iliac portion. 



The pubic portion passes up over the pectineus, adductor 

 longus and gracilis, and behind the femoral sheath, blending 

 externally with sheath of psoas and attached internally to the 

 pectineal line (Cooper ' s ligament) and to Gimbernat ' s ligament. 



The iliac portion, on the outer side of the saphenous 

 opening, and covering the femoral vessels, is attached exter- 

 nally to the iliac crest, Poupart's ligament, and pubic spine, 

 joining here the pubic portion. From the pubic spine it 

 passes down and out with a free margin, the superior cornu or 

 falciform process of Burns, forming the outer margin of the 

 saphenous opening, and becoming continuous below and 

 internally with the pubic portion, the margin here being well 

 defined and named the inferior cornu. 



Sheath of the Femoral Vessels. The upper part of the sheath 

 surrounding the femoral vessels is called the crural sheath, 

 which is formed by a prolongation from the transversalis 

 fascia in front, and from the fascia covering the iliacus behind. 

 It is divided into three compartments, the outer containing 

 the artery, the middle one the vein, and the inner one, or 

 crural canal, a lymphatic gland. 



The crural canal, the innermost compartment of the femoral 

 sheath, is about inch long, reaching from Gimbernat's liga- 

 ment to the saphenous opening. 



The upper opening of the crural canal is called the crural 

 ring, which is on a level with Gimbernat's ligament, and is 

 closed by a layer of sub-peritoneal fascia, the septum crurale. 



Boundaries of the crural ring : 



In front, superficial (Poupart's ligament) and deep crural 

 arches. 



Behind, pubis, covered by pectineus ; pubic portion of fascia 

 lata. 



Internallv, Gimbernat's ligament, conjoined tendon. 



Externally, femoral vein. 



