Femoral Nerve

Question 1

What are the nerve roots of the femoral nerve?

Answer 1

L2-L4

Question 2

What are the motor functions of the femoral nerve?

Answer 2

Innervates the anterior thigh muscles that flex the hip joint (pectineus, iliacus, sartorius) and extend the knee (quadriceps femoris- rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and vastus intermedius)

Question 3

What are the sensory functions of the femoral nerve?

Answer 3

Cutaneous branches to the anteromedial thigh (anterior cutaneous branches of the femoral nerve) and terminal cutaneous branch supplies the medial side of the leg and foot (saphenous nerve)

Question 4

What is the anatomical course of the femoral nerve?

Answer 4

Descends from lumbar plexus in the abdomen through the psoas major muscle
Travels through pelvis to ~mid point of inguinal ligament
Traverses behind the inguinal ligament into the thigh and splits into anterior and posterior division
Passes through femoral triangle lateral to femoral vessels

Question 5

What happens when the femoral nerve passes through the femoral triangle?

Answer 5

It gives off articular branches to the hip and knee joints

Question 6

What is the terminal cutaneous branch of the femoral nerve?

Answer 6

The saphenous nerve

Question 7

What does the saphenous nerve do after formation?

Answer 7

Continues, with the femoral artery and vein, through the adductor canal

Question 8

What is essential if arterial or venous sampling is required from the femoral artery or vein?

Answer 8

To be away in which order the structures lie

Question 9

In what order to the femoral structures lie?

Answer 9

Lateral- femoral nerve → femoral artery → femoral vein - medial

Question 10

What kind of muscles does the femoral nerve supply?

Answer 10

Hip flexors

Knee extensors

Question 11

What hip flexors does the femoral nerve supply?

Answer 11

Pectineus
Iliacus
Sartorius

Question 12

What does the pectineus do?

Answer 12

Adducts and flexes the thigh

Assists with medial rotation of the thigh

Question 13

What does the iliacus do?

Answer 13

Acts with the psoas major and psoas minor (forming iliopsoas) to flex the thigh at the hip joint, and stabilise the hip joint

Question 14

What does the sartorius do?

Answer 14

Flexes, abducts, and laterally rotates the thigh at the hip joint
Flexes the leg at the knee joint

Question 15

What knee extensors does the femoral nerve supply?

Answer 15

Quadriceps femoris (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius)

Question 16

What does the quadriceps femoris do?

Answer 16

Extends the leg at the knee joint

Rectus femoris also steadies hip joint and assists iliopsoas in flexing the thigh

Question 17

What are the first cutaneous branches of the femoral nerve?

Answer 17

The anterior cutaneous branches

Question 18

Where do the anterior cutaneous branches of the femoral nerve arise?

Answer 18

In the femoral triangle

Question 19

What do the anterior cutaneous branches of the femoral nerve do?

Answer 19

Supply the skin on the anteromedial thigh

Question 20

What is the last cutaneous branch of the femoral nerve?

Answer 20

The saphenous nerve

Question 21

What does the saphenous nerve do?

Answer 21

Supply the skin on the medial side of the leg and foot

Question 22

When is the saphenous vein often stripped?

Answer 22

In individuals with problematic varicose veins

Question 23

What is the saphenous nerve accompanied by in its course?

Answer 23

The long saphenous vein

Question 24

What can damage during the stripping of the saphenous nerve procedure lead to?

Answer 24

Pain
Paraesthesia
Complete loss of sensation to the medial side of the lower leg

Question 25

Who may femoral nerve block be indicated in?

Answer 25

Patients requiring lower limb surgery who cannot tolerate a general anaesthetic

Question 26

What can a femoral nerve block be used as?

Answer 26

As a peri and post operative analgesia for patients with a fractured neck of the femur who cannot tolerate particular analgesics