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Fragments from the book: Harrison R. Textbook of Practical Anatomy (1848). The author discusses the anatomy, topography, and role of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF), noting its length as 1.5 inches, or approximately 38 mm. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 1848HarrisonR.


Quote pp. 654-655. 

Mr. Flood (Lancet, 1829-30, page 672) has described an intarticular ligament, which, he says, "may be easily exposed by cutting through the inferior part of the capsule transversely, and throwing back the arm over the head. You thus expose the interior of the upper part of the capsule, also the biceps tendon. Parallel to the inner edge of the latter this ligament may be felt, and exposed by a little dissection. The tendon of the subscapularis, in passing to its insertions, rests in a notch in the superior and internal part of the edge of the cavity. From the edges of this notch the ligament arises broad and flat, then proceeds along the internal edge of the biceps tendon, and becoming smaller and rounder, is inserted into a distinct pit in the anatomical neck of the humerus, at the inner edge of the bicipital groove. Its inferior surface is covered by the synovial membrane, and the superior is applied to the fibrous capsule. In its triangular form, its origin at a notch in the articular fossa, and its insertion into a pit, it strongly resem. bles the 'ligamentum teres' of the hip-joint."

 

Quote p. 667. 

ILIO-FEMORAL ARTICULATION, OR HIP-JOINT. 

THIS is the strongest and most perfect enarthrosis in the system; it includes the head of the femur and the acetabulum, both of which are incrusted with cartilage, and is secured by a capsular and an accessory ligament, a synovial membrane, an interarticular, cotyloid, and a transverse ligament. The cartilage on the head of the femur is thickest on its most convex portion, but is deficient a little below its centre, where there is a depression for the insertion of the interarticular ligament. On the surface of the acetabulum it is thicker towards the circumference, and is altogether absent in a considerable space extending from the notch to the centre. The former lodges the origin of the interarticular ligament, the latter a mass of articular fat and several bloodvessels. 

 

Quote p. 668-669. 

The synovial membrane is exposed by dividing the capsular ligament, whose internal surface it lines to a great extent; it is continued from the head of the femur around the neck near to its base, but not so far as the fibrous capsule; on the neck it is loose in some parts, and thrown into little folds or wrinkles which adhere to strong fibrous bands, the thickened portions of periosteum or retinacula before noticed, which extend from the head along the neck. From the latter the synovial membrane is reflected to the capsule, along which it is conducted to the outer circumference of the acetabulum: it then covers both surfaces of the cotyloid ligament, lines the acetabulum, covers and adheres to the fatty mass at the bottom of this cavity, and is then reflected along the interarticular ligament to the head of the femur.

The articular fatty mass has a peculiar reddish and often a dark appearance; it fills the rough surface in the acetabulum, and is confined in its place by the synovial membrane and by a number of decussating tendinous bands. It receives a great number of bloodvessels and nerves, chiefly from the obturator, through the notch; these are also small, red, fatty masses around the neck of the femur, and one at the insertion of the interarticular ligament in the head of the bone.

 

Interarticular ligament, or ligamentum teres, is about an inch and a half in length; it consists of fine ligamentous fibres covered rather loosely by synovial membrane Though called round, it is rather of a triangular yet tapering form, the base attached to the notch, and by the synovial membrane, to the depression in the acetabulum; the apex to the head of the femur. It arises by two flat bands, the superior of which is the smaller; from the margins of the cotyloid notch, these soon unite and are enveloped by the synovial membrane; it then runs upwards, backwards, and outwards, contracting in size, between the articular fatty mass and the head of the bone, into the depression on which it is inserted. This ligament is very variable as to size and strength; is rarely wanting in man, but is absent in some animals; it serves to conduct blood vessels from the acetabulum to the head and neck of the femur, which, from its position in respect to the shaft of the bone, may require a nutritious supply from this source: some consider it may also limit too much abduction of the thigh. 

 

Quote p. 671. 

When the femur is dislocated forwards on the obturator foramen, the capsular ligament and the internal accessory fibres are lacerated; the ligamentum teres is, according to Sir A. Cooper, always ruptured; the limb is lengthened from one to two inches; the knee is advanced and abducted with slight eversion; the great trochanter is much less prominent than usual.




Fig. 151.  Ilio-femoral articulation. In this view a vertical section has been carried through the hip-joint, and the head of the femur drawn out of the acetabulum, in order to show the relation of the various structures of the articulation. 1. A vertical section of the os ilium, passing through the cotyloid cavity or acetabulum. 2. A vertical section passing through the head, neck, and great trochanter of the femur. 3. A section of the acetabulum and its cartilage of incrustation. 4. A section of the cotyloid ligament. 5. The capsular ligament. 6. A section of the cartilage of incrustation on the head of the femur. 7. The insertion of the interarticular ligament, or ligamentum teres, into the head of the femur. 8. The ligamentum teres. 9. The cavity of the synovial membrane.




Harrison R. Textbook of Practical Anatomy. New York: Samuel S &William Wood, 1848. books.google


The work is cited in the following publications: 2025SrinivasanS_SakthivelS.


Robert Harrison (1796-1858) He was appointed Demonstrator of Anatomy in the College School in 1817 and Professor of Anatomy and Physiology on August 4th, 1827. He became Professor of Anatomy and Chirurgery in the School of Physic at Trinity College, Dublin, in 1887. livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk , collections.nlm.nih.gov


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



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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