228 ANATOMY OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY. 



The internal circumflex passes beneath the heads of the adductor 

 muscles on the inside of the thigh, and is only to be farther traced 

 by their division ; it supplies these muscles, sends a branch to th< 

 hip-joint, and inosculates with the external circumflex, obturator, an 

 ischiatic arteries. 



The terminal branches of the profunda are called the perforating 

 arteries, because they pass through foramina in the adductor tendons 

 to reach the back part of the thigh. They are usually three in num- 

 ber ; they anastomose freely with each other, with the isehiatic and 

 internal circumflex arteries above, and with the articular branches of 

 the popliteal artery iuferiorly. One of these arteries supplies the nutri- 

 ent branch to the femur. 



These branches of the femoral artery are all accompanied 

 by veins which unite to form the profunda vein; this 

 enters the femoral vein an inch or more below Poupart's 

 ligament. 



The continuation of the femoral artery furnishes muscu- 

 lar branches to the muscles contiguous to it, and as it is 

 about to perforate the adductor maguus tendon, gives off 

 a branch called the anastomotica magna. 



The anastomotica magna is not usually of large size, nor always con- 

 stant in its point of origin, not unfrequeutly arising from the popliteal 

 artery ; it is accompanied by the long saphena nerve, and descending 

 to the inner condyle, inosculates with the superior internal articular 

 branch of the popliteal. In very finely injected subjects, numerous 

 anastomoses may be traced between this artery and other branches 

 distributed to the neighborhood of the knee-joint. 



The pectineus and adductor longus muscles may now be divided in 

 the middle, and their ends reflected. The arteries should be preserved 

 so far as possible. 



In removing these muscles, the obturator nerve and its 

 branches should be sought for ; emerging from the pelvis 

 (p. 199) it is distributed to the muscles of the inner side of 

 the thigh, and a long branch passing behind the pectineus, 

 descends to the knee, where it joins with branches of the 

 long saphena nerve. 



Small branches of the obturator artery will also be found 

 at the upper part of these muscles. 



The ADDUCTOR BREVIS MUSCLE lies immediately beneath 

 the two muscles just divided; arising by a narrow origin 

 from the external surface and ramus of the os pubis, and 

 passing very obliquely inward, it is inserted by a broad 

 tendon, behind the pectineus, into the upper part of the 

 linea aspera. 



The ADDUCTOR MAGNUS MUSCLE, the deepest of the three 



