THE ARTERIES. gir 
The artery extends distad, and at about the middle of the length 
of the thigh it passes, along with the vein and nerve, into a 
groove between the vastus medialis and the adductor femoris. 
This groove is converted into a canal by the overlying aponeu- 
rosis; it is known as Hunter’s canal or the canalis adduc- 
torius. At the distal end of the adductor femoris the femoral 
artery ceases to be superficial and passes between the vastus 
medialis and the semimembranosus to the popliteal space; it 
now receives the name A. poplitea. : 
Branches of the femoral artery: 
a. A. circumflexa femoris lateralis (Fig. 127, @).—The 
lateral circumflex arises from the femoral about one centimeter 
from its emergence from the abdominal cavity. It passes 
craniad and laterad and divides into two main portions. One 
part passes between the rectus femoris and vastus medialis, 
‘gives branches to these muscles, and sends an ascending 
branch to the structures about the hip-joint, and a descend- 
ing branch into the vastus medialis muscle. The remainder 
of the lateral circumflex passes along the inner (lateral) surface 
of the sartorius (1) to the cranial border of the leg, giving 
branches to the sartorius (1) and tensor fascie late (2). 
é. A large muscular branch (¢) passes caudad (or ventrad) 
and distad across the distal end of the adductor femoris (7) 
and between the gracilis (9) and semimembranosus, supplying 
these muscles. Other small muscular branches may be given 
off from both sides of the femoral. 
c. A. articularis genu suprema (/).—The superior articu- 
lar artery arises from the femoral, either in common with the 
saphenous artery or separately, a little proximad of the point 
where the femoral ceases to be superficial. It passes toward 
the knee, between the vastus medialis and semimembranosus, 
and covered by the sartorius (1), and ramifies over the medial 
surface of the knee-joint and in the structures just proximad of 
the joint. 
ad. A. saphena (/).—The saphenous artery frequently takes 
origin in common with the superior articular (2), but may arise 
separately at about the same level. It passes distad across the 
gracilis (9), accompanied by the saphenous nerve (g) and vein, 
