126 



Anatomy of Skeleton 



parts, and the acetabular centres are usually described as forming a part of the pubic 

 element. 



The articular surface of the acetabulum surrounds on three sides the non-articular 

 cotyloid or acetabular fossa, which contains the fatty tissue of the " Haversian gland," 

 and opens below at the cotyloid notch. The notch is bridged across by the transverse 

 ligament, a tendinous structure continuous with the fibre-cartilaginous cotyloid liga- 

 ment that is attached to the whole length of the edge of the brim : vessels and nerves 

 pass through the notch, under the transverse ligament, to enter the ligamentum teres. 

 The fibrous basis of the ligamentum teres is attached to the ischial and iliac parts of 

 the cotyloid fossa and to the transverse ligament : its synovial covering is attached to 

 the whole margin of the fossa and the whole length of the transverse ligament below, 

 covering the fossa but lying free on its surface. The round ligament is the remains of 

 the original ventral wall of the capsule (Fig. 106). In the human embryo the Ischium 

 and Ilium alone are concerned in the articulation with the femur and the capsule is 

 attached round their ventral margin : the pubic cartilage is extracapsular. As the 



pubis extends it is still separated by the 

 cellular capsule from the femur. Later it 

 breaks through this capsule and becomes 

 articular, the synovial cavity extending 

 over it from the Ilium. In this way the 

 original attachment of the capsule is only 

 left on the Ischium as the fibrous basis of 

 the Ligamentum teres. In the adult the 

 pubic articular surface is still more or less 

 distinct from the iliac surface, and the 

 same distinction is usually marked on the 

 rim by a shallow notch ; here the com- 

 munication may take place of the joint 

 with the sub-psoas bursa, between the Iliac 

 and pubic parts of the capsule. Above 

 this notch is the large rough area for the 

 A-shaped Ilio-femoral band, spreading on 

 to the lower half or more of the anterior 

 inferior spine, and below and internal to 

 it is the area for the pubo-femoral band 

 which extends inward along the front edge 

 of the upper pubic ramus, overhanging the 

 issuing obturator nerve. 



The direct tendon of the Rectus fe- 

 moris is attached to the upper part of the 

 anterior inferior spine, so that it rests on the ilio-femoral band at its origin : outside 

 this the line of its attachment passes downwards and backwards, to run into the coty- 

 loid ligament and capsule at the top of the acetabulum, thus forming the reflected 

 head. Observe that this must be under cover of Gluteus minimus, arising above the 

 inferior curved line (see Fig. 105). 



At the back of the acetabulum synovial membrane comes over the cotyloid liga- 

 ment and touches the bone : this occurs from the transverse ligament below to the 

 reflected tendon of Rectus above. In front the synovial membrane does not trans- 

 gress the cotyloid ligament, but passes nearly directly from it to the strong capsule. 



There is only a slight capsular attachment behind the acetabulum, for there are no 



femur. 



FIG. 105. Posterior view of the capsule of hip, 

 showing the circular fibres and reflected tendon 

 of Rectus ; this sends some fibres to the cir- 

 cular band. 



