BRANCHES OF POPLITEAL 



589 



the superior al)ove, the inferior below tlie joint, and, windinfr round the Irenes to 

 the front of the knee, form — hy anastomosing witli eaeli other and with tlie anasto- 

 motiea magna, the termination of the profunda, tlic descending branch of the 

 external circumflex, and the anterior tibial recurrent — a superficial and deep 

 arterial rete (tig. 376). The superficial anastomosis or rete lies between the skin 

 and fascia round about the patella (patellar rete), which it supplies, the larger 

 branches entering it from above. The deep anastomosis or rete lies on the surface 

 of the bones around the articular surfaces of the femur and tibia, supplying branches 

 to the contiguous bones and to the joints. The azygos articular is a single short 

 trunk coming off from the deep surface of the popliteal artery. It at once passes 

 through the jiosterior ligament into the joint. 



(a) The superior external articular, the larger of the two superior articular 



Fig. 376. — The Anastomosis about the Left Knee-joint. (Walsham.) 

 (Senii-diagraniniatic. ) 



Deep branch of anastomolica magna 



Superficial branch of anastoniotica 

 magna 



Adductor magnus 



Siipt-rficial internal articular artery 

 piercing tendon of adductor 

 magnus 



Internal lateral ligament 



Inferior internal articular artery 

 passing under internal lateral 

 ligament 



Posterior tibial artery 



Descending branch ofezternal 

 circumflex artery 



Superior external articular artery 

 passing through external inter- 

 muscular septum 



EXTERNAL CONDYLE 



rj Long external lateral ligament 



Inferior external articular artery 

 passing under external lateral 

 ligament 



Anterior tibial recurrent artery 



.1 nterior tibial artery 



branches, runs transversely outwards above the external head of the gastrocnemius, 

 and, passing beneath the biceps and through the external intermuscular se])tum and 

 vastus externus, enters the substance of the crureus, and anastomoses, above with 

 the descending l)ranch of the external circumflex, l)elow with the inferior external 

 articular, and across the front of the femur with tlie superior internal articular, 

 the anastoniotica magna, and termination of the ])rofunda, forming with them, as 

 already described, the deep periarticular rete. Ikanches are given off to the 

 patella, to the upper and outer part of the joint, to the bone, and to the contiguous 

 muscles. 



(b) The superior internal articular (tig. 874) runs transversely inwards just 

 above the inner head of the gastrocnemius, beneath the semi-membrano'sus. and, 

 after perforating the tendon of the adductor magnus, enters the substance of the 



