332 SPECIAL ANATOMY. 



Art. ac.etdbuli to the capsule and lig. teres of the acetabulum. 



Ram. anastomotici to the superior part of the scrotum, uniting with the 



obturatoria and pudenda. 

 Ram. trochantericus , between m. obturat. ext. and quadrat, femor., to the 



fossa oftrockanter major, anastomosing with glut&a and ischiadica. 



2. Circumflexa femoris externa, passes behind m. rectusfemor., before Psoas- 

 iliacus outwards around the basis of trochanter major, and there ramifies, since 

 it anastomoses with the interna, sends a branch upwards for glutceus minim. 

 and fascia lata, another on the outer border of rect. femoris downwards al- 

 most as far as the patella. 



3. Perforantes, three to five ; they perforate the mm. adductores at their in- 

 sertions, and then pass to the posterior surface transversely round the femur, 

 and supply the muscles on the posterior surface of the limb. Art. perfor. prima 

 perforates the adductor magnus below the trochanter minor, gives a branch to 

 n. ischiadicus and a nutritia femoris superior ; nutritia magna comes from the 

 second or third art. perforans, [and takes a direction upwards]. They anas- 

 tomose with the inferior branches of femoralis (also keep up the collateral 

 circulation after ligature of the poplitcea). The first also anastomoses with 

 the circumflex, femor. and glutcea ; the third is the terminal branch of pro- 

 funda femoris. 



583. C. Poplitcea, the popliteal artery, 



the continuation of art. femoralis , reaches, from the inferior third 

 or fourth of the thigh, as far as to the superior fifth or sixth of the 

 leg, and is about seven inches long. Course : somewhat oblique, 

 from above, downwards, and from within, outwards to the centre 

 of the popliteal region, hence r vertically downwards. Position : 

 deep, (especially below) in the neighbourhood of the bone, it is 

 covered behind from above to below by : m. semi-membranos., 

 fat and fascia poplitcea; m. gastrocnemius and plantaris long., 

 lastly m. soleus ; close behind it, and externally (almost together) 

 Ven. poplittea, and behind this N. tibialis. Before it lie from 

 above downwards the inner and posterior surface of the os fe- 

 moris, the knee-joint and m. poplitaus. On the inner side : m. 

 semi-membran., condyl. intern, femor., caput intern, gastrocnemii. 

 On the outer side : m. biceps, cap. extern, gastrocn., plantar, long., 

 soleus. Branches ; posterior : 



1. Surales s. gemellcs, two to four, arise at the knee-joint, pass forwards and 

 downwards on the anterior internal surface of m. gastrocnemius; a branch with 

 n. saphenus as far as tendo Achillis. Anterior branches : 



2. Articulares genu superiores, superior articular arteries. 



a. Articularis interna /., 8. superficialis [s. anastomotica magna] arises 

 from art. cruralis whilst in the sheath of m. adduct. magn., sometimes 

 higher ; the largest passes under sartorius to the condylus internus; a 

 branch to the triceps, another with n. saphenus intern. 



