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1878MarshallJ

 

Fragments from the book Marshall J. Anatomy for artists (1878). The author discusses the anatomy and briefly the role of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF): «… checks adduction of the thigh, or a sinking down of the pelvis upon the opposite side, and, possibly, also limits the reciprocal, horizontal rotatory movements of the femur and the pelvis on each other».

 

Quote p. 65

The head of the femur is almost entirely received into the acetabulum, a deep socket of the hip-bone, thus forming the largest and most complete ball-and- socket joint in the body. At a point on the inner side of the head of the femur, a little below and also behind its centre, is a small rough, bifid , depression, for the attachment of the ligamentum teres of the hip-joint. Opposite this point, the head of the bone is, however, more prominent than elsewhere, and corresponds with a non- articular depressed portion of the acetabulum.

 

Quote p. 68

The ligamentum teres, which is attached by one end to the head of the femur, descends within the hip-joint, to be attached to the margins of this notch ; continuous with the notch, is a broad, shallow excavation, of a circular form, the fovea or pit of the acetabulum, which extends into the floor of the socket, and lodges that ligament, together with some fatty tissue and blood-vessels . Owing to the presence of this pit or excavation, the floor of the acetabulum is comparatively thin, and often translucent in the dried bone ; but it has no weight to bear, and merely protects the ligamentum teres and other soft parts. The articulating portion of the acetabulum is placed out-side or around the circular fovea ; but, like the rim of the socket itself, it is interrupted, opposite to the notch ; hence the articular portion of the acetabulum, which is in contact with the head of the femur, does not form a complete cup, but consists of a wide crescentic zone, or semilunar surface, smoothed for the encrusting articular cartilage, and intervening between the slightly roughened circular excavation and the rim of the socket ; its widest part is above, where the greatest weight has to be borne; the narrower parts of the crescent extend in front of and behind the notch, where little or no weight has to be supported.

 

FIG. 88. The Hip Joint seen from the front, and laid open, showing the acetabulum, the cotyloid ligament, and the ligamentum teres.

 

Quote p. 221

The head of the femur is connected directly with the bottom of the socket, by the ligamentum teres, or round ligament, fig. 88, which is unique, in the fact that it passes across the interior of the joint. It is not cord-like in shape, however, but triangular ; its narrower end is fixed to the double pit on the inner aspect of the head of the femur ; becoming flattened, it passes down, along a slight depression on the inner side of the head of the bone, fig . 90, and is attached by its base, which is divided into two parts, to the ischial and pubic margins of the notch of the acetabulum, blending with the ends of the transverse ligament. It is completely invested by a tubular prolongation of the synovial membrane. It is usually strong, but it differs much in thickness, in different individuals.

 

FIG. 90. Vertical section through the Hip Joint showing the structure of the bones the encrusting cartilage the ligamentum teres and the loose folded capsule.

 

Quote p. 223

Every movement of the head of the femur in the acetabulum, is reciprocated by an opposite movement of the innominate bone, and, therefore, of the entire pelvic girdle, on the head of the thigh-bone. Thus, the backward movement of the pelvis, performed in standing upright, is equivalent to extension, and the forward movement in stooping, to flexion of the thigh ; the inclination of the pelvis, outwards or inwards, corresponds to abduction or adduction, of the thigh ; whilst the swinging of the pelvis horizontally forwards or backwards, is equivalent to rotation of the thigh inwards or outwards. The ligamentum teres checks adduction of the thigh, or a sinking down of the pelvis upon the opposite side, and, possibly, also limits the reciprocal, horizontal rotatory movements of the femur and the pelvis on each other.

 


External links

Marshall J. Anatomy for artists; illustrated by two hundred original drawings by J.S. Cuthbert, engraved by J. and G. Nichols. London: Smith, Elder & Co, 1878.   archive.org , books.google 

Authors & Affiliations

John Marshall (1818-1891) was a English anatomist and surgeon, Professor of Anatomy at the Royal Academy. wellcomecollection.org


John Marshall. Photograph by G. Jerrard; original in the wellcomecollection.org (CC0 – Public Domain, no changes).

John S. Cuthbert (1844-1917) Illustrator of books.


Keywords

ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, anatomy, function, role, attachment

                                                                                                                  

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BLOG CONTENT 

MORPHOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY

19th Century

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