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GLUTEAL REGION. 231 



and from the superior curved line of the external surface 

 of that bone, being closely connected at its anterior border 

 with the gluteus minimus and the tensor vaginse femoris ; 

 its fibres converge to be inserted by a thick tendon into 

 the external surface of the trochanter major. The gluteal 

 artery emerges at its posterior border, and a large branch 



mines upon this muscle, between it and the gluteus 



aximus. 



This muscle may now be removed, by dividing it an inch above 

 insertion, and reflecting its muscular belly. A confused mass of 

 areolar tissue, arteries, nerves, and muscles, remains, which is to be 

 tiently cleared up, by gradually removing the areolar tissue with 

 e scissors and forceps, following out the arteries and nerves ; the 

 ing of them should be commenced at the point at which they 

 lerge from the pelvis. 



The gluteal artery emerges between the glutens medius 



id pyriformis muscles, and is, as has been stated (p. 209), 



branch of the internal iliac, the terminal one of its pos- 

 >rior division ; it breaks up into branches as soon as it 



icrges from the pelvis. The superficial branch goes to 

 gluteus maxim us ; the deep superior passes upward 

 md forward to the anterior superior spinous process of the 

 lium, between the gluteus medius and minimus muscles, 

 md inosculates with the circumflexa ilii and external cir- 

 cumflex arteries ; the deep inferior branch ramifies upon the 

 gluteus minimus, in the neighborhood of the trochanter 



id capsule of the hip-joint. 



The gluteal nerve, corning from the sacral plexus, emerges 

 r ith the gluteal artery, and divides into two branches ; one, 



jsing upward toward the crest of the ilium, and supply- 

 ing the gluteus medius and minimus ; the other, passing 

 forward, sends branches to these muscles, and terminates 

 in the tensor vaginae femoris. 



The iscliiatic artery, one of the terminal branches of the 

 anterior division of the internal iliac, emerges below the 

 pyriformis muscle, and passes downward between the 

 trochanter and the tuberosity of the ischinm, supplying 

 muscular branches to the gluteus maximus and posterior 

 muscles of the thigh ; it also sends a branch to the great 

 sciatic nerve, named comes nervi ischiatici, which accom- 

 panies it to the popliteal space. 



The GREAT SCIATIC NERVE is the continuation of the 

 sacral plexus. It emerges below the pyriformis muscle as 

 a broad, flat cord, three-fourths of an inch in width; it 



