Anatomical Openings

Question 1

What are anatomical openings ?

Answer 1

• passageways or gaps in the human body that allow for the passage of structures such as blood vessels, nerves, artery’s

Question 2

What are 3 examples of anatomical openings?

Answer 2

• foramen
• fossa
• canal

Question 3

What is a foramen?

Answer 3

• a hole or opening in bone that allows the allows passage for nerves , blood vessels, & ligaments
• i.e., the foramen magnum (opening at the base of the skull for the spinal cord)

Question 4

What is a fossa?

Answer 4

• a shallow depression or concave area in bone that is an opening for muscles, tendons, or blood vessels
• i.e., infraspinous fossa on scapula (where the infraspinatus muscle attaches)

Question 5

What is a canal?

Answer 5

• a tubular passage or tunnel within a bone that allows the transmission of structures
• i.e., auditory canal in the ear (a pathway for sound waves to reach the ear)

Question 6

What is the femoral triangle?

Answer 6

• an anatomical region located in the upper thigh of the inguinal (groin) area
• it is bounded by three structures

Question 7

What are the lateral/medial/superior border/boundaries of the femoral triangle? (SAIL)

Answer 7

• lateral border - sartorius
• medial border - adductor Magnus longus
• superior border - inguinal ligament

Question 8

What 5 structures are present in the femoral triangle? (NAVEL)

Answer 8

• femoral NERVE
• femoral ARTERY
• femoral VEIN
• femoral canal (EMPTY space)
• LYMPHATICS
• can remember this by “NAVEL”

Question 9

What is the popliteal fossa?

Answer 9

• diamond-shape depression located on the posterior aspect of the knee joint to the lower thigh
• it is bounded by 4 structures

Question 10

What are the superior/inferior/medial/lateral border/boundaries of the popliteal fossa? (SMB-ST, G, SM, BF)

Answer 10

• superior border - semimembranosus/semitendinosus
• inferior border - both heads of the gastrocnemius
• medial border - medial border of the semimembranosus
• lateral border - biceps femoris

Question 11

What 5 structures are present in the popliteal fossa? (A, V, TB, FN, LN)

Answer 11

• popliteal artery (supplies blood to the lower leg & foot)
• popliteal vein (drains blood from the lower leg)
• tibial nerve (branches from sciatic nerve; provides sensory/motor innervation to the posterior thigh)
• common fibular nerve (branches from sciatic nerve; provides sensory/motor innervation to the lateral/anterior aspects of the lower leg)
• popliteal lymph nodes (filters lymph fluid from lower leg)

Question 12

What is the cubital fossa?

Answer 12

• a triangular-shaped depression located on the anterior aspect of the elbow joint
• bounded by 3 structures

Question 13

What are the superior/medial/lateral borders/boundaries of the cubital fossa? (IPB)

Answer 13

• superior border - interepicondylar line (connects the medial/lateral epicondyles of the humerus)
• medial border - Pronator teres
• lateral border - brachioradialis

Question 14

What 4 structures are present in the cubital fossa? (BA, MN, BT, RN)

Answer 14

• brachial artery (the main artery of the upper arm; divides into the radial & ulnar arteries)
• median nerve (provides sensory/motor innervation to the forearm & hand)
• biceps brachii tendon
• radial nerve (runs along the posterior aspect of the forearm)