1672GengaB

The author reports for the first time a case of absence of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in both hip joints. In the book in Italian, this structure is named "Legamento rotondo". It is noteworthy that according to Bernardino Genga: "…this ligament is the strongest, supporting not only the femur but the entire body."

The preliminary translation was done in collaboration with ChatGPT 3.5.

Genga B. Anatomia chirurgica cioe Istoria anatomica dell'ossa, e muscoli del corpo humano, con la descrittione de vasi piu riguardeuoli che scorrono per le parti esterne, & un breue trattato del moto, che chiamano circolatione del sangue di Bernardino Genga da Mondolfo. Roma: per Nicolò Angelo Tinassi, 1672.

Quote pp. 143-144

Offo Ifchio. Legamento rotondo dell’ Ischio, e Femore mancato.

Il terzo finalmente è l' Offo Ifchio, da' Latini of chiamato Os Coxendicis, da Celso Coxa, nel quale Ischio offi offerva quell' acetabolo maggiore d' ogni altro, dove fi riceve il Capo del Femore, il qual' Acetabolo negl' Infanti fi riconosce manifeftamente non effer folo dell' Offo Ifchio, ma formato da tutte tre le fuddette Offa. Intorno a quefto acetabolo vi è un Sopracciglio, o Lembo cartilaginoso, che rende la cavità più profonda, la quale internamente è incroftata di Cartilagine, e nel fondo ha un feno, dal quale nafce un legamento rotondo, che ferve ad alligare il Capo del Femore, e rendere più ftabile l'articolazione, la quale fi fa per Enarthrofin: oltre al detto legamento v' è un' altro legamento membranofo affai groffo, e robufto, il quale abbraccia tanto la parte fuperiore del Femore, quanto l'eftremità dell' acetabolo fuddetto.

Ischium. Collapsed round ligament of the ischium and femur.

Finally, the third is the ischium, which the Latins called Os Coxendicis, and Celsus – Coxa, in which the ischium has a large acetabulum, larger than any other [socket], where the head of the femur is located, the acetabulum in infants, apparently, it is not only formed by the ischium, but is formed by all three of these bones. Around this acetabulum there is a brow or cartilaginous growth that makes the socket deeper, which is covered inside with cartilage, and at the bottom there is a depression from which comes the round ligament, which serves to attach the head of the femur and makes the joint more stable, which is enarthrosis; in addition to the aforementioned ligament, there is another membranous ligament, quite thick and strong, which embraces both the upper part of the femur and the edges of the acetabulum.

Quote pp. 144-145

L'Autore ristrovo, mancare il Legamento rotondo.

Nell' Anno 1662. facendo io pubblicamente la diffecazione de' Mufcoli del Femore, tagliai quefto legamento membranofo, per dimoftrare tal' care Articolazione, e m'occorfe (cafo veramente maraviglioso, nè mai, ch' io fappia, rincontrato da altri) che mancava il fuddetto Legamento rotondo, fenza che tanto nella cavità fuddetta, quanto nel capo del Femore vi foffero quei feni, che naturalmente in tutti fi offervano, ne' quali ftà aderente il detto Legamento. Furono alcuni, che fubito difsero, poter' essere ftata quefta mancanza caufata da lufsazione, che antecedentemente poteva aver patita il Paziente, per la quale efsendofi rotto il detto Legamento, a poco a poco dovevafi efser confumato. Non diedi rifpofta alcuna, come poteva, con dire, che la lufsazione perfetta del Femore, maffime con difcoprimento di tal Legamento, farebbe ftata affolutamente incurabile, quando quefti beniffimo camminava: ed in che modo potevano mancare i Seni? ma, essendo l'altra parte del Cadavere infepolta, alla prefenza delli medefimi Aftanti tagliai l'altro Femore, e ritrovai il medefimo. Lettore, fo, che ti fembrarà ftrano il preftar fede a queft' Iftoria, tanto più, fe bene confideri, che quefto legamento è il più robufto, che non folo foftenga il Femore, ma con efso tutto il Corpo e confidera però, che io dico, efsermi accaduto in pubblico, e molti vi fono, che se ne ricordano. E' ben vero, che l'altro Legamento era afsai duro, grosso, e robufto, che poteva fupplire alla mancanza del rotondo.

The author discovered the absence of the round ligament.

In 1662, when I publicly dissected the muscles of the thigh, I cut this membranous ligament to exhibit this joint, and it happened to me (a truly astonishing case, which has never, so far as I know, occurred in others) that there was no round ligament, although in the said cavity and in the head of the femur there were those sinuses which are naturally present in all, and to which this ligament is attached. Some immediately suggested that this absence could have been caused by a dislocation that the patient may have experienced earlier, causing the ligament to gradually dissolve after tearing. I didn't give any response, as I could, saying that a complete dislocation of the femur, especially with the discovery of such a ligament, would have been absolutely incurable when the patient was moving so well; and how could the sinuses disappear? But, since the other part of the body was untouched, in the presence of the same witnesses, I cut the other thigh and found the same thing. Reader, I understand that it may seem strange to you to believe this story, especially if you consider that this ligament is the strongest, supporting not only the femur but the entire body, but consider that I say it happened publicly, and many remember it. Indeed, the other ligament was strong, thick, and robust enough to compensate for the absence of the round one.

External links

Genga B. In Hippocratis Aphorismos ad chirurgiam spectantes. Commentaria eminentissimo, ac reuerendissimo principi Francisco Mariae cardinali Medices dicata a Bernardino Genga de Mondulpho status Urbini ... Latino, ac Italico idiomate ad communiorem intelligentiam exarata. Romae: typis Reu. Cam. Apost. 1694. [archive.org]

Authors & Affiliations

Bernardino Genga (1620-1690) was a scholar of Classical medical texts, anatomist and surgeon in Rome. [wikipedia.org]

Bernardino Genga
Engraving by Carlo J. Allet based on a drawing by Guil. Sarrabat;
original in the 1694GengaB (CC0 – Public Domain, no change)

Keywords

ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, role, synonyms, absence, observation, strength

NB! Fair practice / use: copied for the purposes of criticism, review, comment, research and private study in accordance with Copyright Laws of the US: 17 U.S.C. §107; Copyright Law of the EU: Dir. 2001/29/EC, art.5/3a,d; Copyright Law of the RU: ГК РФ ст.1274/1.1-2,7

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Comments

1902RilkeRM

Works of art that mention ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) are extremely rare. One such work is the poem «Der Schauende» ( He Who Visions, The Seer, The Man Watching, The Beholder) b y Rainer Rilke. Below is the original text in German. Der Schauende 1. Ich sehe den Bäumen die Stürme an, die aus laugewordenen Tagen an meine ängstlichen Fenster schlagen, und höre die Fernen Dinge sagen, die ich nicht ohne Freund ertragen, nicht ohne Schwester lieben kann. 2. Da geht der Sturm, ein Umgestalter, geht durch den Wald und durch die Zeit, und alles ist wie ohne Alter: die Landschaft, wie ein Vers im Psalter, ist Ernst und Wucht und Ewigkeit. 3. Wie ist das klein, womit wir ringen, was mit uns ringt, wie ist das groß; ließen wir, ähnlicher den Dingen, uns so vom großen Sturm bezwingen, - wir würden weit und namenlos. 4. Was wir besiegen, ist das Kleine, und der Erfolg selbst macht uns klein. Das Ewige und Ungemeine will nicht von uns gebogen sein. Das ist der Enge...

1730CheseldenW

Fragments from the book Cheselden W. The Anatomy of the Human Body (1730). The author draws attention to the role of ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in counteracting hip dislocation and maintaining the femoral head in the joint. The work notes that the LCF is “powerful” and “short” - “about two inches” i.e. approximately 5 cm! This error will be corrected in a subsequent treatise ( 1733CheseldenW ) . Quote pp. 43 - 44 Chap. VII. Of the Ligaments At the upper part of the articulation of the Os Femoris and Os Innominatum, is a strong ligament of great consequence; it contributing very much to preserve that joint from being luxated by the weight of the body. And from the lower edge of the Acetabulum of the Os Innominatum, runs a ligament to the middle of the head of the Os Femoris, about two inches long (which the Motion in this joint requires) called Teres, or Rotundum, whose use is to prevent the Os Femoris from being luxated upwards, but down wards it will le...

LCF in 2026 (May)

LCF in 2026 (May ) (Quotes from articles and books published in May 2026 mentioning the ligamentum capitis femoris) Kim, P. S., Kang, C., Lee, J. K., & Hwang, J. M. (2026). Hip arthroscopy to treat symptomatic paralabral cysts: a retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes. Arthroscopy and Orthopedic Sports Medicine , 13 (1), 27-34. [i] e-aosm.org Ko, H. Y. (2026). Vascular Anatomy of the Extremities and Lungs. In Practical Functional Anatomy for Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation: A Guide for Physiatrists and Rehabilitation Specialists (pp. 191-223). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. [ii] link.springer.com Aiba, H., Yamaguchi, M., Kimura, H., & Murakami, H. (2026). Advances in limb-salvage surgery and reconstruction for pediatric bone and soft tissue tumors. Frontiers in Pediatrics , 14 , 1817788. [iii] pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Bajwa, A., Villar, R., ...

1851HyrtlJ

The author expresses a classic view on the functions of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF): a conductor of blood vessels and a limiter of adduction of the femur. J. Hyrtl believed that it was impossible to completely dislocate the hip without tearing the LCF. Hyrtl J. Lehrbuch der Anatomie des Menschen, mit Rücksicht auf physiologische Begründung und praktische Anwendung. Wien: W. Braumüller, 1851. [fragment] Quote p. 265 In der Höhle des Gelenks liegt das runde Band des Schenkelkopfes (Lig. teres), welches an der Incisura acetabuli entspringt, und bei richtiger Neigung des Beckens, senkrecht zur Grube des Schenkelkopfes aufsteigt. Es beschränkt dieses Band die Zuziehung des Schenkels, und schreibt zugleich den durch die Incisura acetabuli eindringenden Blutgefässen den Weg vor, den sie zum Oberschenkelkopfe zu nehmen haben. Da das Band, wenn es in die Höhle des Gelenkes vorragen würde, durch Reibung viel zu leiden hätte, so...

16с.Archangel_Michael

Icon «Michael the Archangel (in deeds)», stigma «The struggle of Jacob with the angel» (16th cent.). Depicting the circumstances and mechanism of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) injury based on the description in the Book of Genesis: 25 And Ja cob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 26 And when he saw that he could not pre vail against him, he struck against the hollow of his thigh ; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was put out of joint, as he was wrestling with him. … 33 Therefore do the children of Israel not eat the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day; because he struck against the hollow of Jacob's thigh on the sinew that shrank. ( 1922LeeserI , Genesis (Bereshit) 32:25-26,33) More about the plot in our work: Ninth month, eleventh day ( 2024АрхиповСВ. Девятый месяц, одиннадцатый день ). Unknown author – Icon «Michael the Archangel (in deeds)»...

1626BartholinC

Fragment from the book Bartholin C. Anatomicae Institutiones Corporis Humani (1626). The author describes the anatomy, topography, geometric and mechanical properties of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). The term «terete» (rounded) is used to indicate its geometry. The term «cartilagine» (cartilaginous) is used to describe the hardness of the LCF, and the analogy of «nervus esset cartilaginosus» (like a cartilaginous sinew) is given. Similar terminological elements are present in the works of Galen of Pergamon and Theophilus Protospatharius ( 2020ArkhipovSV_ProlyginaIV ). See the previous edition at the link: 1611BartholinC Quote p. 409 [Lat] Cap. XXI. DE OSSIBUS TOTIUS PEDIS. … I. Est caput maximum & rotundum, ex appendice factum, quod in coxendicis acetabulum inseritur, & duplici ligamento cum coxendice nectitur: uno communi, lato, membraneo, sed satis crasso, orbiculatum articulum ambiente; altero terete, quasi cartilagine (ac si nervus esset cart...

1905BardeenCR

An excerpt from the article by Bardeen CR. Studies of the development of the human skeleton (1905). The author briefly discusses the emergence of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). Quote p. 287 The hip-joint is represented at first by a dense mass of scleroblastema, Fig. 55. The development of the acetabulum by ingrowth and fusion of processes from the iliac, ischial and pubic cartilages has already been described. The cartilagenous joint-cavity is at first quite shallow, Fig. 56. But extension of cartilage into the blastemal tissue which passes from the pelvis over the head of the femur serves greatly to deepen it on all sides except in the region of the cotyloid notch. The joint-cavity is at first completely filled with a dense blastemat tissue, Fig. 56. While the embryo is growing from 20 to 30 mm. in length cavity formation begins in the tissue lying between the cartilagenous floor of the acetabulum and the head of the femur. The first stage in the process is marked by a c...

1720RuyschF

The author draws attention to the well-developed blood supply of the acetabular fossa, as well as the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). In the work, it is referred to as the «ligamentum nerveo-cartilagineum», which literally means the tough cartilaginous ligament and implies its strength. With the difficulty of accessing the acetabular fossa, and therefore the LCF, Frederik Ruysch associates the inefficiency of treating hip joint pain. The writer presumably implies osteoarthritis. In our opinion, its development is initiated by the pathology of the LCF ( 2012АрхиповСВ ). The discussed work includes a black and white drawing of the LCF of a child, made by the illustrator Jan Wandelaar. In color, the same preparation, but from a different angle, was depicted by the artist Jan l'Admiral in a separate publication ( 1738LadmiralJ ). Ruysch F. Adversarium anatomico-medico-chirurgicorum decas secunda. In quâ varia notatu digna recensentur. Cum figuris aeneis. Amsterdami: a...

Human Children. Retelling of Chapter 14

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