Femoral Triangle

Question 1

Boundaries of the femoral triangle

Answer 1

Superior- Inguinal ligament
Medial- lateral border of adductor longus muscle
Lateral- Medial border of sartorius muscle

Question 2

Apex of femoral triangle

Answer 2

Where medial border of sartorius crosses lateral border of adductor longus

Question 3

Floor of femoral triangle

Answer 3

Consists of the iliacus muscle and psoas major muscle, plus the pectineus muscle medially

Question 4

Iliacus and psoas major

Answer 4

Iliacus originates on ilium while psoas major originates on lumbar vertebrae
Both of these muscles insert on the lesser trochanter of the femur

Question 5

Iliopsoas

Answer 5

Refers to the combination of the psoas major and the iliacus

They work to flex the hip or thigh

Question 6

Roof of femoral triangle

Answer 6

Fascia lata
Cribriform fascia
Subcutaneous tissue
Skin

Question 7

Fascia lata

Answer 7

Surrounds the thigh just deep to subcutaneous tissue
Forms intermuscular septa producing medial, anterior and posterior muscular compartments
Most fibers are oriented horizontally, but on lateral surface of thigh/proximal tibia, they are vertically oriented and referred to as iliotibial tract

Question 8

Iliotibial tract

Answer 8

Consists of lateral surface of fascia lata, aponeuroses of gluteus maximus and tensor fascia lata

Question 9

Retroinguinal space

Answer 9

Deep to the inguinal ligament

Provides important passageway connecting trunk to lower extremity

Question 10

Compartments of retroinguinal space

Answer 10

Muscular compartment- contains iliopsoas and femoral nerve

Vascular component- contains femoral artery/vein and lymphatic vessels

Question 11

Femoral nerve

Answer 11

Passes deep to the inguinal ligament to enter femoral triangle, lateral to femoral vessels.
Then divides into several branches to supply the anterior thigh muscles
Also sends articular branches to hip/knee joints and cutaneous branches to the anterior and medial sides of the thigh

Question 12

Femoral sheath

Answer 12

Extraperitoneal areolar tissue that surrounds the external iliac vessels in the abdomen and extends into anterior thigh.

Question 13

Lateral and middle compartments of femoral sheath

Answer 13

Lateral- contains the femoral artery
Middle- contains the femoral vein
Medial- contains lymph nodes
The femoral nerve is lateral to the femoral artery but is not within the femoral sheath
NAVEL- Nerve, artery, vein, lymphatics

Question 14

Medial compartment of femoral sheath

Answer 14

Also known as femoral canal, contains lymphatic structures
Continuous with abdominal cavity via the superior opening of the femoral canal, which is closed off by the femoral septum

Question 15

Femoral nerve supplies what muscle

Answer 15

Iliacus
Quadraceps femoris
Sartorius
Pectineus

Question 16

Femoral cutaneous branch supplies

Answer 16

Supplies anterior thigh and part of medial thigh, then continues as saphenous nerve to supply medial aspect of lower leg and ankle

Question 17

Femoral septum, femoral hernia

Answer 17

Femoral septum is pierced by lymphatic vessels connecting the inguinal and external iliac lymph nodes. If abdominal viscera such as the small intestine protrudes through the femoral ring into the femoral canal, you get a femoral hernia. 3x more frequent in women due to differences in hip bone structure

Question 18

Femoral artery

Answer 18

Continuation of external iliac artery, enters thigh beneath the inguinal ligament, midway between the ASIS and pubic tubercle

Question 19

Femoral artery branches

Answer 19

External pudendal- supplies external genitalia and lower half of anal canal
Superficial circumflex iliac- supplies lateral thigh
Superficial epigastric- supplies anterior abdominal wall
Profunda femoris- largest branch, has two circumflex branches

Question 20

Medial/lateral femoral circumflex arteries

Answer 20

Medial- anastomosis with LFC, supplies head and neck of femur via posterior superior retinacular arteries and lateral epiphyseal arteries
Lateral- Gives of ascending, descending and transverse branches, supplies lateral thigh muscles

Question 21

Tributaries of great saphenous vein

Answer 21

Correspond to some of the branches of the femoral artery, including superficial circumflex iliac, superficial epigastric and external pudendal veins

Question 22

Tributaries of femoral vein

Answer 22

In the inferior part of femoral triangle the femoral vein receives the profundal femorus vein, the great saphenous vein and other tributaries

Question 23

Lymphatics of femoral triangle

Answer 23

One to three lymph nodes located medial to the femoral vein, either within femoral canal or just inferior to it.
They drain lymph from deep structures of lower extremity, the penile urethra, the glans penis and glans clitoris
These deep inguinal nodes drain to the external iliac nodes adjacent to the iliac artery

Question 24

Great saphenous vein

Answer 24

Contained within superficial fascia of lower limb. Begins on the dorsum of foot and ascend the medial side of the leg
Continues on medial thigh and passes through saphenous hiatus to join the femoral vein

Question 25

Inguinal hernia vs femoral hernia locations

Answer 25

Femoral hernia- below and lateral to pubic tubercle

Inguinal hernia- above and medial to pubic tubercle