The external iliac artery, one of the two divisions of the common iliac artery, is the beginning in the abdomen of the main artery which supplies the lower limb. It passes downward and outward, and into the thigh behind Poupart's ligament, where it becomes the femoral artery. It extends down to the opening in the adductor magnus muscle, which is on the inner aspect of the lower third of the thigh. About 2 inches from Poupart's ligament it bifurcates ; the deep branch called the profunda femoris passes behind the adductor longus, and continues downwards close to the shaft of the femur ; it gives off several branches, which supply many of the muscles of the thigh.

The popliteal artery is continuous with the femoral artery.

It ends at the lower border of the popliteus muscle by dividing into the anterior and posterior tibial arteries.

The anterior tibial passes to the front of the leg by an opening in the interosseous membrane, and proceeds down to the ankle and the dorsum of the foot, where it becomes the dorsal artery.

Fig. 57.—The Anterior Tibial

1, Femoral artery ; 2, anterior crural nerve; 3, deep femoral artery ; 4, rectus femoris muscle.

The posterior tibial goes down the back of the leg under the superficial muscles of the calf; at the ankle, between the heel

and the inner ankle-bone, it divides into the internal and external plantar arteries, which unite with the dorsal artery to form the plantar arch, which supplies blood to the foot.