FEMOBAL AND ILIAC VEINS. 



477 



ID the lower part of its course, the vein receives all the branches which 



accompany the offsets of the chief artery. In the upper part, the deep 



femoral vein opens into it, having first received all the branches from 



muscles supplied by the deep femoral 



artery. Near its termination the fe- Fig. 324. 



moral vein is joined by the internal 



saphenous vein. 



Fig. 324. VIEW ? THE BLOOD-VESSELS 



OP THE GROIN AND NEIGHBOURING PARTS 



(fromR. Quain). 



The full description of this figure will be 

 found at p. 436. The following numbers 

 indicate the veins : 2, the femoral vein ; 3, 

 the large or internal saphenous vein ; 3', 

 anterior saphenous ; 4, superficial circumflex 

 veins with twigs to the inguinal glands ; 

 5, superficial epigastric ; 6, superficial 

 pudic. 



The femoral vein occasionally pursues 

 a course different from that of the artery 

 along the thigh. Extending upwards from 

 the popliteal space, the vein, in such cases 

 perforates the adductor magnus above the 

 ordinary position, and, joining with the 

 deep femoral vein, first approaches the 

 femoral artery at the groin. The same 

 vein is sometimes double in a small part, 

 or more rarely in almost its whole 

 length. 



EXTERNAL ILIAC VEIN. 



The external iliac vein is the continuation of the femoral vein from 

 Poupart's ligament to the junction of the internal iliac vein, in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the sacro-iliac articulation. It is at first internal to the 

 artery, and on the left side it continues in that position, but on the right 

 side it gradually inclines somewhat behind the artery. It does not possess 

 valves. 



TRIBUTARIES. Near its commencement at Poupart's ligament, the external iliac 

 vein receives the circumflex iliac and the epigastric veins. 



INTERNAL ILIAC VEIN. 



The internal iliac vein is formed by the union of branches which accom- 

 pany the corresponding branches of the internal iliac artery. The umbilical 

 vein of the foetus, however, which in the cord accompanies the corresponding 

 arteries, diverges from these arteries within the body, and passes upwards 

 to the liver. The internal iliac vein lies behind the corresponding artery 

 in front of the sacro-iliac articulation, and, after a short course upwards 

 to the margin of the pelvis, joins with the external iliac vein to form the 

 common iliac. No valves are found in the trunk of the internal iliac vein, 

 but they exist in its branches. 



