THE LYMPHATICS OF THE LOWER LIMB. 



549 



Fig. 419. THE SUPERFICIAL LYMPHATIC VESSELS ANI> 



GLANDS OP THE LOWER LIMB, FROM THE FRONT AN1> 



INNER SIDE (founded on Mascagni and others). (Allen 

 Thomson. ) 



1,1, upper inguinal glands receiving the lower abdo- 

 minal, the inguinal, penile, and scrotal lymphatic vessels ; 

 2, 2, femoral or lower inguinal glands, receiving the anterior, 

 internal, and external femoral lymphatic vessels ; 2', the 

 internal lymphatic vessels ; 3, 3, lymphatic vessels in the 

 course of the internal saphenous vein ; 4, the same in the 

 leg ; 5, inner lymphatics of the calf ; 6, lymphatic vessels 

 of the dorsum of the foot ; 7, those of the heel and inner 

 ankle. 



and receive lymphatics from the integument of 

 the trunk, gluteal region, perineum, and genital 

 organs ; the inferior or femoral glands surround 

 the upper end of the long saphenous vein, and 

 receive the superficial lymphatics of the limb. 

 The efferent vessels of the superficial inguinal 

 glands perforate the fascia, a large number 

 passing through the saphenous opening, and 

 some enter the deep inguinal glands, while 

 others are continued upwards with the deep 

 vessels into the abdomen, and join the lym- 

 phatic glands which lie along the external iliac 

 artery. 



The deep-seated inguinal glands, two or 

 three in number, lie on the inner side of the 

 femoral vein, the largest being placed in the 

 femoral ring. They receive the deep lymphatics 

 of the limb and some of the efferent vessels of 

 the superficial inguinal glands. The efferent 

 vessels of the deep glands proceed upwards 

 through the femoral ring, and terminate in the 

 external iliac lymphatic glands. 



The superficial lymphatics of the lower 

 limb arise in two sets, one from the inner part 

 of the dorsum and sole of the foot, the other 

 from the outer. The inner vessels, the more 

 numerous, follow a similar course to that of the 

 internal saphenous vein : passing partly in front 

 of and partly behind the inner ankle, they 

 ascend along the inner side of the knee and 

 front of the thigh, and terminate in the inferior 

 superficial inguinal glands. The outer vessels, 

 ascending from the outer side of the foot, pass 

 in great part in front of the external malleolus ; 

 some of these reach the internal set by crossing 

 in front of the tibia ; and others, ascending 

 along the postero-external part of the leg and 

 knee, incline forwards round the outer side of 

 the thigh to join also the internal set. Two 



or three considerable vessels, arising in the neighbourhood of the heel, accompany 

 the external saphenous vein behind the malleolus and along the back of the 

 leg to the ham, where they dip down between the heads of the gastrocnemius 



