Fascia Lata

Question 1

What is the fascia lata? Where does it span?

Answer 1

. Deep thick fascia around all of the thigh muscles (like a thick stocking)
. Begins around the inguinal ligament and ends at the tibia, where it becomes the deep fascia of the leg (crural fascia)

Question 2

What is the fascia lata called as it passes into the leg from the thigh?

Answer 2

Crural fascia

Question 3

What is the saphenous opening and where is it found?

Answer 3

Opening in the fascia lata just inferior to the inguinal ligament

Question 4

What is a femoral hernia?

Answer 4

Part of the bowel protrudes through the femoral canal and pokes out of the saphenous opening, which causes a swelling inferior to the inguinal ligament

Question 5

What is the iliotibial tract? Which tendons is it strengthened by?

Answer 5

. Longitudinal thickening of fascia lata in lateral thigh, which is strengthened posteriorly by tendons from the gluteus maximus and tensor fascia lata

Question 6

What is the function of the tensor fascia lata? What is its origin and insertion?

Answer 6

. Flexion, abduction, lateral rotation of hip, tenses fascia lata and braces knee, compresses deep veins when contracted to aid venous return from lower limbs
. Originates from iliac crest, inserts into anterior aspect of iliotibial tract in upper/middle part of thigh

Question 7

What does the deep aspect of the fascia lata give rise to?

Answer 7

. 3 intermuscular septa, which attach centrally to the femur
. Lateral septum attaches to lateral lip of linea aspera
. Medial and anterior septa attach to medial lip of linea aspera
(These septa span the length of the femur along the supracondylar lines)

Question 8

What is the benefit of using the fascia lata for grafts? Name a few surgical procedures that utilise the fascia lata.

Answer 8

. Fascia lata is well-vascularised, unlike artificial materials
. Iliotibial tract provides lots of connective tissue fibres and can be harvested while leaving most of the fibres intact
. Reconstructive surgery e.g. heart valve replacement, eyelid repair

Question 9

What is the function of the iliotibial tract?

Answer 9

. Extension, abduction, lateral rotation of hip, and lateral stabilisation of knee joint
. Forms lateral intermuscular septum
. Forms sheath for tensor fascia lata muscle

Question 10

What covers the saphenous opening?

Answer 10

Cribriform fascia (thin membrane)

Question 11

What enters the lower limb through the saphenous opening?

Answer 11

Efferent lymphatic vessels (drain into inguinal lymph nodes) and the great saphenous vein (drains into femoral vein)

Question 12

What is the origin and insertion of the iliotibial tract?

Answer 12

Originates from the iliac tubercle, inserts into the lateral tibial condyle

Question 13

What is the origin and insertion of the tensor fascia lata?

Answer 13

Originates from iliac crest, inserts into anterior aspect of iliotibial tract (superior/middle region)

Question 14

What is the origin and insertion of the fascia lata? What does the fascia lata become when it enters the leg?

Answer 14

Originates from inguinal ligament, inserts into tibia (where it becomes the crural fascia- the deep fascia of the leg)