BRANCHES OF THE ANTERIOR TIBIAL. 



449 



oblique course downwards the anterior tibial artery lies at first close to the 



Fig. 307. ANTERIOR VIEW OP THE ARTERIES OF THE 



LEG AND DORSUM OF THE FOOT (from Tiedemann). \ Fig. 307. 



The tibialis anticus muscle is drawn towards the inner 

 side so as to bring the anterior tibial artery into view ; 

 the extensor proprius pollicis, the long common extensor 

 of the toes, and the peroneus tertius muscles in their 

 lower part, and the whole of the extensor communis 

 brevis, have been removed. 1, external superior articular 

 branch of the popliteal artery, ramifying on the parts 

 surrounding the knee, and anastomosing with the other 

 articular branches and with 2, the recurrent branch of 

 the anterior tibial artery ; 3, 3, anterior tibial, giving off 

 muscular branches on each side ; 4, dorsal artery of 

 the foot ; 5, external anterior malleolar artery coming 

 off from the anterior tibial, and anastomosing with 

 the anterior peroneal artery which is seen descending 

 upon the lower part of the fibula : the internal malleolar 

 is represented proceeding from the other side of the 

 anterior tibial artery ; 6, the tarsal branch of the dorsal 

 artery, represented in this instance as larger than usual 

 and furnishing some of the branches of the next artery ; 

 7, the metatarsal branch, giving off the dorsal inter- 

 osseous arteries ; (in the first interosseous space the dorsal 

 artery of the foot is seen to give off the anastomosing 

 branch which unites with the deep plantar arch ;) be- 

 tween 8, and 8, the collateral branches of the dorsal 

 digital arteries. 



interosseous ligament, and is then at a con- 

 siderable distance from the spine of the tibia ; 

 but in descending it gradually approaches that 

 ridge, and towards the lower part of the leg is 

 supported on the anterior surface of the bone. 



Relation to Veins and Nerves. The anterior 

 tibial artery is accompanied by two veins (vense 

 comites). The anterior tibial nerve, coming 

 from the outer side of the head of the fibula, 

 approaches the artery at some distance below the 

 place -where the vessel appears in front of the 

 interosseous ligament. Lower down, the nerve 

 for the most part lies in front of the artery, 

 but often changes its position from the one side 

 of the vessel to the other. 



BRANCHES. Besides numerous small muscu- 

 lar branches, the anterior tibial artery furnishes 

 the following. 



(a) The recurrent artery, given off as soon as 

 the anterior tibial reaches the front of the leg, 

 ascends through the fibres of the tibialis anticus, 

 and, ramifying on the outside and front of the 

 knee-joint, anastomoses with the inferior articu- 

 lar and other branches of the popliteal artery. 



(6) The malleolar arteries, two in number, 

 external and internal, are given off near the 

 ankle-joint, but are very variable in size and 

 mode of origin. The internal branch passes beneath the tendon of the 



I 



