232 



Topography. 



it. PERONEUS 



A. artic. 



HenAo 

 M. sartoeius 



M. pLantaris 



N.SURALIS 



The external cir- 

 cumflex artery passes 

 outwards, behind the M. rec- 

 tus femoris, supplies the 

 muscles in front and on 

 the outer side of the thigh, 

 sends the Ramus musculo- 

 articularis down to the knee 

 and finally perforates the 

 M. vastus externus. The p e r- 

 fo rating arteries of 

 the profunda femoris, Arteriae 

 IT, CUTAN. SUBAE perforantes (see Fig. 578), 

 pass through the tendons 

 of the adductors to the 

 posterior side of the thigh ; 

 ext they are three in number, 

 the termination of the pro- 

 funda femoris being the 

 fourth. 



5. Muscular bran- 

 579. Topographical Anatomy ches, Rami muscular es, for 



of the Popliteal Space. the muscles of the tlli ^ 1 ' 



0. Art. superficialis genu 



(anastomotica magna) passes to the internal condyle of the femur and 

 anastomoses with the superior internal articular branch of the popli- 

 teal artery. 



The popliteal artery gives off m u s c u 1 a r and articular 

 b r a n c h e s. The latter, which form the llete articulare genu, are the following : 



The superior articular, Arteriae articulares genu super iores, a 

 larger external and a smaller internal; 



The inferior articular, Arteriae articulares genu inferiores, also 

 an external and an internal; 



The middle or azygos articular, Art. articulationis genu media, 

 for the internal ligaments of the knee-joint. The two superior and two 

 inferior lie close to the bone, the middle pierces the popliteal ligament 

 and the posterior capsular wall, and passes into the cavity of the 

 knee-joint. 



