502 THE ARTERIES OF THE LOWER LIMB. 



1. The posterior tibial recurrent artery is a small branch which ascends 

 beneath the popliteus muscle to the back of the knee-joint. It gives offsets to the 

 popliteus and the upper tibio-fibular articulation, and anastomoses with the lower 

 articular arteries from the popliteal. This branch is sometimes wanting. 



2. The superior fibular branch, also of small size, arises most frequently from 

 the anterior tibial artery, but it is sometimes derived from the posterior tibial, or 

 from the lower end of the popliteal artery. It runs outwards across the neck of the 

 fibula, perforating the attachment of the soleus, and is distributed to that muscle, to 

 the peroneus longus, and to the integument. 



3< The anterior tibial recurrent artery (v), larger than the posterior, arises 

 from the trunk immediately after its passage through the aperture in the interos- 

 seous membrane. Ascending through the upper end of the tibialis anticus muscle, 

 to which it furnishes offsets, this branch ramifies over the outer tuberosity of the 

 tibia, and anastomoses with the lower articular arteries of the popliteal. 



4. The muscular branches supply the muscles of the front of the leg, and send 

 also three or four small twigs backwards through the interosseous membrane into 

 the tibialis posticus, as well as other offsets forwards between the muscles to the 

 skin. 



5. The external malleolar artery (v-vi) arises near the ankle-joint, and is 

 directed outwards beneath the extensor longus digitorum and peroneus tertius 

 muscles, to ramify over the outer malleolus, forming anastomoses with the anterior 

 peroneal and tarsal arteries. It furnishes twigs to the neighbouring articulations. 



6. The internal malleolar artery, smaller than the foregoing, passes inwards 

 beneath the tendon of the tibialis anticus, and ramifies over the internal malleolus, 

 anastomosing with the corresponding branches from the posterior tibial artery. 



DORSAL ARTERY OF THE FOOT (IV-V). 



The dorsal artery of the foot, the continuation of the anterior tibial, extends 

 from the bend of the ankle to the posterior end of the first intermetatarsal space. 

 At this spot it turns downwards and passes between the heads of the first dorsal 

 interosseous muscle into the sole, where it completes the plantar arch and supplies 

 the inner side of the second and both sides of the great toes. 



On the dorsum of the foot the artery lies in the interval between the tendons of 

 the extensor proprius hallucis and extensor longus digitorum muscles, resting upon 

 the tarsal bones, to which it is bound by an aponeurotic layer. It is covered by the 

 integument and the dorsal fascia of the foot, at its upper end also by the lower band 

 of the anterior annular ligament, and near its termination by the innermost slip of 

 the extensor brevis digitorum muscle. 



Two vence comites accompany this artery, and the internal branch of the anterior 

 tibial nerve lies usually on its outer side. 



BRANCHES. On the dorsum of the foot, the artery gives off two or three small 

 internal branches, which ramify on the inner side of the tarsus, and anastomose 

 with branches of the internal plantar arteiy, two external branches, which are of 

 larger size, and are named tarsal and metatarsal arteries, and the first dorsal inter- 

 osseous artery, which arises as the trunk bends downwards in the first space. As 

 soon as it appears in the sole, the artery divides into two terminal offsets, an outer 

 communicating branch which completes the plantar arch, and an inner digital 

 artery to the great and second toes. 



1. The tarsal artery (v) arises opposite the head of the astragalus, and 

 inclines outwards beneath the extensor brevis digitorum muscle to the cuboid bone, 

 where it divides into branches which anastomose with the external malleolar, the 



