The =femoral artery= is the main arterial trunk of the thigh. It begins
at the level of the anterior border of the pubis, from which it is
separated by the femoral vein. It descends almost vertically in the
femoral canal behind the sartorius muscle, covered at first by the
internal femoral fascia and lower down by the gracilis. After passing
over the insertion of the pectineus, it perforates the adductor muscle,
crosses in the vascular groove of the posterior surface of the femur,
and is continued between the two heads of the gastrocnemius as the
popliteal artery. It is related at its origin to the sartorius in front,
the femoral vein behind (which separates it from the pectineus), and the
iliacus externally. Lower down it is related superficially to the deep
inguinal lymph glands, and deeply to the vastus internus, while the
saphenous nerve is in front of it, and the vein passes to its external
face. The chief branches are as follows:
[Illustration:
FIG. 457.—DISSECTION OF INGUINAL REGION AND INNER SURFACE OF THIGH OF
HORSE.
_1_, External pudic artery; _2_, anterior branches of _1_; _3_,
posterior branches of _1_; _4_, transverse anastomosis between
external pudic veins; _4′_, venous plexus of dorsum penis; _5_,
femoral artery; _6_, saphenous nerve; _7_, anterior border of
external inguinal ring; _8_, obliquus abdominis internus; _9_,
posterior border of external inguinal ring; _10_, tunica vaginalis;
_11_, vas deferens; _12_, cremaster muscle; _13_, prepuce; _14_,
glans penis; _15_, external urethral orifice; _16_, posterior
branches of circumflex iliac vessels; _17_, saphenous vessels; _18_,
fold of flank; _19_, penis (cut); _A_, superficial inguinal lymph
glands; _B_, precrural lymph glands; _C_, deep inguinal lymph
glands. (After Schmaltz, Atlas d. Anat. d. Pferdes.)
]
1. The =prepubic artery= (Truncus pudendo-epigastricus) arises from the
femoral artery at its origin, usually by a common trunk with the deep
femoral. It passes forward and a little inward and downward across the
edge of the inguinal ligament, and then runs on the abdominal surface of
the ligament to the inner part of the internal inguinal ring, where it
divides over the upper border of the internal oblique muscle into the
posterior abdominal and external pudic arteries.
(1) The =posterior abdominal artery= (A. epigastrica caudalis) passes
along the external border of the rectus abdominis and anastomoses in the
umbilical region with the anterior abdominal artery (Figs. 272). It
supplies branches to the rectus and obliquus internus muscles.
(2) The =external pudic artery= (A. pudenda externa) descends on the
inguinal ligament through the inner part of the inguinal canal and
emerges at the inner angle of the external ring. In the male it divides
into the =subcutaneous abdominal artery= and the =dorsal artery of the
penis=. The former runs forward a short distance from the linea alba,
and gives branches to the superficial inguinal lymph glands, the sheath,
and the scrotum. The latter passes to the dorsum penis and ends at the
glans as the arteria glandis. It gives off collateral branches (Rami
profundi penis) to the corpus cavernosum, one of which usually passes
backward and anastomoses with a branch of the obturator artery. Branches
are also supplied to the superficial inguinal lymph glands, the prepuce,
and the scrotum. In the female the =mammary artery= takes the place of
the dorsal artery of the penis; it plunges into the base of the mammary
gland.
2. The =deep femoral artery= (A. profunda femoris) arises either by a
common trunk with the prepubic or a little distal to it (Fig. 451). It
passes backward and downward across the inner face of the femoral vein,
then below the pubis in the space between the hip joint and the
pectineus muscle. On reaching the obturator externus it inclines more
ventrally and outward, passes out between the internal border of the
femur and the quadratus femoris, and ramifies in the biceps femoris and
semitendinosus. It supplies large collateral branches to the adductor
muscles and twigs to the deep inguinal lymph glands and the hip joint.
3. The =anterior femoral artery= (A. femoralis cranialis) arises a
little distal to the preceding vessel from the opposite side of the
femoral trunk. It passes forward, outward, and a little downward across
the deep face of the sartorius, and dips in between the rectus femoris
and vastus internus (Fig. 451). It is related externally to the
ilio-psoas and the femoral nerve.
In some cases this artery is replaced by a large branch of the
external circumflex, which passes between the ilio-psoas and rectus
femoris and enters the interstice between the latter muscle and the
vastus internus.
4. Innominate =muscular branches= (Rami musculares) of variable size and
arrangement are given off to the muscles of this vicinity.
5. The =saphenous artery= (A. saphena) is a small vessel which arises
from the femoral about its middle or from a muscular branch, and emerges
between the sartorius and gracilis or through the latter to the inner
surface of the thigh (Fig. 457). It is joined by the large saphenous
vein and the saphenous nerve and passes down superficially on the fore
part of the gracilis, continues on the deep fascia of the leg, and
divides above the hock into two branches, which accompany the radicles
of the vein. It gives off cutaneous twigs and anastomoses with the
recurrent tibial artery.
In some cases this anastomosis does not occur. The artery may be
larger and directly continuous with the internal tarsal artery.
6. The =articular branch= (A. genu suprema) is a slender artery which
arises from the femoral just before it passes through the adductor. It
descends along the posterior border of the vastus internus to the inner
surface of the stifle joint, where it ramifies.
7. The =nutrient artery of the femur= (A. nutritia femoris) is given off
at the middle of the femur and enters the nutrient foramen.
8. The =posterior femoral= or =femoro-popliteal artery= (A. femoris
caudalis) is a large vessel which arises from the posterior face of the
femoral just before the trunk passes between the two heads of the
gastrocnemius (Fig. 455). It is very short and divides into two
branches. The ascending branch passes upward and outward between the
adductor (in front) and the semimembranosus (behind), and enters the
biceps femoris, in which it ramifies. The descending branch passes
downward and backward on the external head of the gastrocnemius, then
curves upward between the biceps femoris and semitendinosus (crossed
externally by the tibial nerve) and divides into branches to these
muscles. A branch is detached from the convexity of the curve which
passes down between the heads of the gastrocnemius, gives branches to
that muscle and the flexor perforans, and is continued by a slender
artery which accompanies the tibial nerve and unites with the recurrent
tibial artery. A branch ascends alongside of the sciatic nerve between
the biceps and semitendinosus and anastomoses with a descending branch
of the obturator.