BRANCHES OF COMMON FEMORAL 583 



A. Brunches of tlic Common Femoral 



(1) The superficial epigastric artery t-oiiR's off from the femonil about half 

 an inch below Poupart's lit^anient. At its ori.uin it is l)eneath the fascia lata, but 

 almost at once passes throutfh this fascia, or else through the saphenous opening, 

 and courses upwards and inwards in front of the external oblique nuiscle almost as 

 far as the umbilicus. It ends in numerous small twigs, which anastouKjse with 

 the cutaneous branches from the deep epigastric and internal mammary. In its 

 course it gives off' small Ijranches to the inguinal glands and to the skin and super- 

 ficial fasciae. Running Avith it is the superficial epigastric vein, which ends in the 

 long saphenous just before the latter passes through the saphenous opening. 



(2) The superficial circumflex iliac artery (fig. 372), usually smaller than 

 the superficial epigastric, arises either in common with that vessel, or else as a 

 separate l)ranch from the femoral. It passes upwards and outwards over the 

 iliacus, and, soon perforating the fascia lata a little to the outer side of the sa})he- 

 nous opening, runs more or less parallel to Poupart's ligament about as far as the 

 crest of the ilium, where it ends in branches which anastomose with the deep cir- 

 cumflex iliac artery. In its course it gives off" branches to the iliacus and sartorius 

 muscles, to the inguinal glands, and to the fascia and skin. Its companion vein, 

 the superficial circumflex iliac, ends in the long saphenous vein just before the 

 Litter passes through the saphenous opening. 



(3 ) The superficial or superior external pudic artery arises from the inner 

 side of the femoral, either a little above or else in connnon with the deep or inferior 

 external pudic. It passes either through the fascia lata, or else through the criliri- 

 form fascia covering the saphenous opening, ascends upwards and inwards over the 

 s|)ermatic cord in the male, or round ligament in the female, and divides into 

 l)ranches, one of which supplies the integuments above the pubes, while another 

 descends along the penis external to the dorsal arter}^ with Avhich, and with the 

 corresj)onding artery of the opposite side, it anastomoses at the corona. In the 

 female, this branch terminates in the preputium clitoridis, anastomosing with 

 the dorsal artery of that organ. Small branches also descend to the scrotum and 

 labium respectively. As it crosses the cord it anastomoses with the cremasteric 

 branch of the deep epigastric. It is accompanied by tAvo small veins, which 

 usually join to form a single vein opening into the upper end of the long 

 saphenous. 



(4) The deep or inferior external pudic artery arises from the inner side of 

 tlie femoral artery, either in common with the preceding branch or a little lower 

 down. It runs inwards beneath the deep fascia, across the pectineus and adductor 

 longus muscles, and, perforating the fascia close to the ramus of the pubes, supplies 

 the skin of the scrotum or the corresponding part, the labium majus, in the female, 

 anastomosing with the superficial perinseal branch of the internal pudic. It sup- 

 ]>lies small twigs to the pectineus and adductor muscles as it crosses them. Its 

 companion veins terminate as a single trunk in the long saphenous. 



(5) The profunda or deep femoral artery (figs. 372, 373) is the chief nutrient 

 vessel of the thigh. It is usually given off from the back and outer part of the 

 common femoral, about an inch and a half (4 cm.) below Poupart's ligament. At 

 tirst it is a little external to the femoral, but as it runs downwards and backwards 

 it gets behind that artery and closer to the bone. On reaching the uj^per border of 

 the adductor iongus nuiscle, it leaves the femoral, and, passing beneath the muscle, 

 1 tierces the adductor magnus, and finally, much reduced in size, ends in the ham- 

 string muscles. 



Relations. — Behind, the artery lies successively upon the iliacus, the pectineus, 

 the adductor Itrevis, antl adductor magnus muscles. In front, at tirst it is super- 

 ficial, being merely covered l)y the skin, superficial and deep fascia\ and branches 

 of the anterior crural nerve; Init as it sinks behind the femoral artery, it has in 

 front of it both the femoral and the profunda veins, and lower down the adductor 

 longus muscle. Externally is the fenun- at the angle of union of the adductors 

 longus and brevis. Internally is the pectineus at the upper part of its course. 



Branches of the profunda. — The jtrofunda gives oft" the following branches: 

 — (a) The external circumflex; {b) the internal circumflex: and (c) the three per- 



