THE THIGH 175 



go for the most part to the scrotum, but some are distributed 

 to the skin on the proximal and medial parts of the thigh. 



Nervus Lumboinguinalis (O.T. Crural branch of Genito- 

 crural) pierces the fascia lata a little way distal to the inguinal 

 ligament, and to the lateral side of the femoral artery. With 

 a little care a communication between this nerve and the 

 intermediate cutaneous may be made out. It supplies a 

 limited area of skin on the proximal part of the anterior 

 aspect of the thigh. 



N. Femoris Lateralis (O.T. External Cutaneous). The 

 lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh is distributed on the 

 lateral area of the thigh. It pierces the fascia lata in two 

 parts. Of these, one the posterior division appears about 

 two inches distal to the anterior superior iliac spine, and 

 proceeds dorsally and distally ; some twigs of it may be 

 followed to the lower part of the glutseal region. The 

 anterior division comes to the surface about two inches 

 distally. It is the larger of the two, and has a wide area 

 of distribution. It may extend to the knee-joint. Previous 

 to its division the lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh lies in 

 a prominent ridge of the fascia lata, which descends vertically 

 from the anterior superior spine of the ilium. This must be 

 split up to expose the nerve. 



The intermediate and medial cutaneous nerves belong to the "rami 

 cutanei anteriores of the n. femoralis," but for convenience and for the 

 purposes of more precise description, they are defined by special names. 



The intermediate cutaneous nerve (O.T. middle cutaneous 

 nerve] of the thigh, a branch of the femoral nerve, pierces 

 the fascia lata in the middle line of the thigh about three or 

 four inches distal to the inguinal ligament. It usually appears 

 as two branches which perforate the fascia at two points 

 a short distance apart from each other. Both branches extend 

 distally to the knee, which they reach on its medial aspect. 



The medial cutaneous nerve (O.T. internal cutaneous nerve] 

 of the thigh, a branch of the femoral nerve, following the 

 example of the n. cutaneus femoris lateralis and the inter- 

 mediate cutaneous nerve, divides into two portions an 

 anterior and a posterior which perforate the deep fascia 

 on the medial aspect of the thigh, and at some distance 

 apart from each other. The anterior division makes its appear- 

 ance through the fascia lata in the distal third of the thigh, 

 anterior to the great saphenous vein. It descends towards 



