Fig. 173. Hunter's Canal and Popliteal Space seen from the inner 



side. (JOBERT's Fossa.) 



Left Leg of a girl aged 75 years. A piece has been citt out of the Sartorius 



Muscle. 



In the upper part of the thigh the Femoral Artery hes on the anterior 

 aspect of the limb, lower down it is on the inner side and finally on its posterior 

 aspect. In its course the Artery crosses the Femur at an acute angle. Above the 

 Artery lies internal and superficial to the head of the bone but subsequently it 

 approaches the inner side of the shaft, and gets on to its posterior surface. The 

 course of the Artery is almost in a line drawn vertically downwards whereas the 

 axis of the Femur is oblique, thus the crossing is brought about. 



Above the Artery is in front of the Adductors but as these muscles, e. g. 

 Pectineus, Adductor Longus and Adductor Magnus, are inserted by a broad 

 membranous tendon along the entire length of the Linea Aspera from the Lesser 

 Trochanter as far down as the Inner Condj'le, the Artery mu.st pierce this tendon 

 in order to reach the posterior surface. This occurs in the Adductor or HuNTER's 

 Canal. Below the apex of Scarpa's Triangle the Artery is covered by the Sar- 

 torius Muscle and rests upon the Adductor Longus Muscle. About the middle 

 of the thigh it reaches Hunter's Canal which is formed by a strong Aponeurosis 

 spreading from the Adductor Longus and Magnus Muscles over the Vastus Internus 

 Muscle. At the end of this canal the artery pierces the Adductor Tendon. This 

 canal bounded in front by the Aponeurosis mentioned, behind by the Adductor 

 Longus and Magnus is about 2 inches long and terminates at the junction of the 

 middle and lower thirds of the thigh. The Long Saphenous Nerve enters the 

 canal with the Artery but perforates, in conjunction with the Great Anastomotic 

 Artery, the Anterior wall of this Canal about its middle. Two accompanA'ing 

 Veins pass through the Canal with the Arter}': of these veins, one is usually very 

 diminutive. The 3 Perforating Branches of the Deep Femoral Artery perforate 

 the insertion of the Adductors in a similar way, to gain the posterior aspect of 

 the Thigh. 



For operations — e. g. in cases of Acute Osteomyelitis — which require 

 exposure of the Femur throughout its extent, the outer side is chosen because 

 internall}' and anteriorly the large vessels are in the way; on the anterior aspect 

 the upper cul-de-sac of the Knee-joint may be injured, posteriorly the Sciatic Nerve 

 and lower down the vessels. On the outer side there are no important Vessels 

 or Nerves. 



