Iliofemoral ligament

Ligamentum iliofemorale

  • Eponym: Y ligament of Bigelow; Ligament of Bertin

Definition

The iliofemoral ligament (Y-ligament; ligament of Bigelow) is a band of great strength which lies in front of the joint; it is intimately connected with the capsule, and serves to strengthen it in this situation.

It is attached, above, to the lower part of the anterior inferior iliac spine; below, it divides into two bands, one of which passes downward and is fixed to the lower part of the intertrochanteric line; the other is directed downward and lateralward and is attached to the upper part of the same line. Between the two bands is a thinner part of the capsule. In some cases there is no division, and the ligament spreads out into a flat triangular band which is attached to the whole length of the intertrochanteric line.

This ligament is frequently called the Y-shaped ligament of Bigelow; and its upper band is sometimes named the iliotrochanteric ligament.

This definition incorporates text from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy (20th U.S. edition of Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body, published in 1918 – from http://www.bartleby.com/107/).

Comparative anatomy in animals

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