Dissection of the Blood -Vessels and Nerves of 

 the Leg or Pelvic Limb 



Remove the intestines and transect the body immediately caudal to 

 the last pair of ribs. In the male, find the spermatic veins and the much 

 smaller spermatic arteries near the peritoneal or vaginal ring through 

 which they, together with the ductus deferens or spermatic duct, pass to 

 the testes. Trace the right spermatic vein to the posterior vena cava, 

 and the left one to the left renal vein (or to the posterior vena cava, close 

 to the renal vein); also trace the spermatic arteries to their respective 

 places of origin — the right spermatic artery, from the A. mesenterica 

 posterior and the left one from the aorta a little cephalad of the preced- 

 ing; sometimes both of these arteries arise from the aorta close to the A. 

 mesenterica posterior. In the female the utero-ovarian arteries correspond 

 to the spermatic arteries but are much shorter. Each artery passes in a 

 tortuous manner between the two peritoneal layers of the anterior part 

 of the broad ligament of the uterus and divides into two branches of 

 which one is distributed to the ovary and the other to the comu of the 

 uterus. Clean up the aorta (and vena cava) taking care not to remove the 

 lumbar Ijmiph glands which lie near the place where the aorta divides into 

 the Aa. iliaca externa and interna, (sometimes spoken of as the terminal 

 branches of the aorta) (PI. V, 30, 34). Note the size, number and location 

 of the limibar lymph glands. The posterior portion of the body should 

 now be divided into halves by a sagittal section through the lumbar and 

 sacral vertebrae, the pelvic symphysis and the pelvic organs. Identify 

 each lumbar and sacra vertebra. Identify also the trunk of the sympa- 

 thetic nerve which, in this region, lies on the ventro-lateral face of the 

 bodies of the vertebrae and is covered by the aorta and the posterior vena 

 cava (PI. V, 45). This nerve trunk and its connections with each of the 

 Ivunbar and sacral nerves, by the rami communicantes, should be noted 

 as the dissection of the lumbo-sacral nerve plexus proceeds. 



A. circumfiexa iliaca (PL V, 29) usually arises from the A. iliaca externa, 

 close to its origin, but sometimes directly from the aorta. It extends 

 laterally across the ventral surface of the psoas muscles and divides into 

 an anterior and a posterior branch shortly before it reaches the pos- 

 terior border of the M. transversus abdominis. Transect the transversus 

 abdominis near the middle of its fleshy portion and turn it aside. Note 

 the location and size of the external iliac lymph glands (PL V, 64) which 



