484 



THE ARTEKTES OF THE ABDOMEN. 



the internal abdominal ring, the artery is crossed on its outer side, in the male by the 

 vas deferens and the spermatic vessels, which here meet to form the spermatic cord, 

 in the female by the round ligament of the uterus. Continuing its course upwards, 

 the vessel perforates the transversalis fascia and passes over the semilunar fold of 



Fig. 386. THE DISTRIBUTION AND ANASTOMOSES OP 



THE EPIGASTRIC AND INTERNAL MAMMARY ARTERIES. 



(Tiedemann. ) 



For the detailed description of this figure, see p. 

 427. 7, on the transversalis muscle above the internal 

 abdominal ring, points to the last part of the external 

 iliac artery, at the place where it gives origin to 8, the 

 epigastric, and 9, the circumflex iliac artery ; 10, 

 anastomoses of the epigastric with the abdominal branch 

 of the internal mammary artery; 11, spermatic cord, 

 receiving the cremasteric branch from the epigastric 

 artery ; 12, femoral artery ; 13, femoral vein ; 14, a 

 lymphatic gland closing the femoral ring. 



Douglas to enter the sheath of the rectus, 

 becoming closely applied to the back of that 

 muscle. It finally divides, somewhat above 

 the level of the umbilicus, into a number of 

 branches which supply the rectus, and anas- 

 tomose freely in the muscle with the abdo- 

 minal branch of the internal mammary 

 artery. 



The epigastric artery is usually accom- 

 panied by two veins, which unite into a 

 single trunk before ending in the external 

 iliac vein ; but sometimes there is only one 

 vein, lying on the inner side of the artery. 



BRANCHES. These are small but nume- 

 rous. 



(a) The cremasteric artery (vi) descends 

 on the spermatic cord, and, besides supplying 

 the cremaster muscle and other coverings of 

 the cord, anastomoses with the spermatic 

 and external pudic arteries. 



(b) The pubic branch (vi) ramifies behind 

 the pubis, and communicates with the cor- 

 responding artery of the opposite side, as well 

 as with the pubic branch of the obturator 

 artery. 



(c) Muscular branches, which arise mainly 

 from the outer side of the epigastric artery, 

 ramify in the broad muscles of the abdomen, 



and anastomose with branches of the circumflex iliac, lumbar, and lower intercostal 

 arteries. 



(d) Superficial branches perforate the rectus muscle, and anastomose beneath the 

 skin with branches of the superficial epigastric artery. 



2. The deep circumflex iliac artery (v) arises from the outer side of the 

 external iliac, generally a little below the origin of the epigastric artery. It runs 

 upwards and outwards behind Poupart's ligament, resting on the iliacus muscle, and 

 being contained in a fibrous canal at the junction of the transversalis and iliac 



