308 



INFERIOR EXTREMITY 



arteria genu suprema, and another from the superior medial 

 genicular artery. The lowest arch lies on the tibia, immedi- 

 ately above its tuberosity, and results from the anastomosis 

 of the anterior recurrent tibial and inferior medial genicular 

 arteries. The upper and middle of these transverse arches 

 are connected, on each side of the patella, by ascending 

 and descending branches, which anastomose with one 

 another, and thus enclose the patella in an irregularly 

 quadrilateral arterial framework. From all sides of this 

 arterial enclosure, twigs are given off which enter small 



Deep branch of 

 arteria genu suprema 



Vastus medialis 



Superior medial 

 artery of the knee 



Ligamentum patellae 

 Medial meniscus 



Ligamentum patellae- 

 Inferior medi 

 artery of the knee 

 Tibial collater 

 ligamei 

 Sartorius 



Vastus lateralis 



Rectus femoris 

 1'iceps femoris 



Superior lateral 

 artery of the knee 



Patella 



Fibulae collateral 

 ligament 



Inferior lateral 

 artery of the knee 



Fibular collateral 

 ligament 



Head of fibula 



Anterior recurrent 

 tibial artery 



Anterior tibial artery 



FIG. 113. Anastomosis on the front of the Left Knee-joint. 



foramina on the anterior surface of the patella to supply the 

 osseous substance. Six arteries therefore take part in the 

 formation of this system of anastomoses, on the front and 

 lateral aspects of the joint, viz. the articular branch of the 

 arteria genu suprema, the two superior and the two inferior 

 genicular branches of the popliteal, and the anterior recurrent 

 branch of the anterior tibial. In addition to the twigs which 

 proceed from these, to form the arterial arches, numerous 

 branches are given which spread over the bones in the form 

 of a close meshwork. During the dissection of the articula- 

 tion these vessels will become apparent. 



The knee-joint is supplied on its posterior aspect by twigs derived from 

 all the genicular branches of the popliteal. These twigs are variable in 



