Femoral Triangle and Canal

Question 1

What is the important surface landmark of the anterior thigh, which is seen as a depression below the inguinal ligament on the anterior surface of the proximal thigh?

Answer 1

Femoral Triangle

Question 2

Why is the femoral triangle clinically important?

Answer 2

1. hernias are common here (femoral hernias)
2. it is an arterial pressure point in the case of uncontrolled bleeding of the
   lower extremity

Question 3

What is the superior boundary of the femoral triangle?

Answer 3

inguinal ligament

Question 4

What is the lateral boundary of the femoral triangle?

Answer 4

sartorius

Question 5

What is the medial boundary of the femoral triangle?

Answer 5

adductor longus

Question 6

contents of the femoral triangle going from lateral to medial include:

Answer 6

femoral nerve and several of its branches

femoral sheath and its contents (femoral artery and vein)

inguinal lymph nodes

Question 7

consists of connective tissue which encloses the femoral blood vessels.
􀁸 it is a downward protrusion of the fascia covering the floor of the pelvic cavity

Answer 7

Femoral Sheath

Question 8

What is the function of the femoral sheath?

Answer 8

allow the femoral artery and vein to glide deep to the inguinal ligament
during movements of the hip joint

Question 9

the sheath is subdivided into three compartments, what is the lateral compartment for?

Answer 9

femoral artery

Question 10

the sheath is subdivided into three compartments, what is the intermediate compartment for?

Answer 10

femoral vein

Question 11

the sheath is subdivided into three compartments, what is the medial compartment for?

Answer 11

femoral canal

Question 12

The opening in the roof of the femoral canal is known as the

Answer 12

femoral ring

Question 13

T/F The femoral canal is wider in males then females

Answer 13

False

Question 14

􀁸 most medial and smallest of the three compartments formed from the femoral sheath
􀁸 the space allows the femoral vein to expand when there is increased venous return from the lower
extremity
􀁸 the canal contains some adipose tissue and single lymphatic lymph node

Answer 14

Femoral Canal

Question 15

the femoral ring is a weak area in the floor of the pelvic cavity and is the usual originating site for a what?

Answer 15

Femoral Hernia

this type of hernia is a protrusion of abdominal viscera (a small loop of the small intestines) through the
femoral ring into the femoral canal
may become strangulated (blood supply to the herniated intestine is cut off an can be the source of an intestinal
blockage)

Question 16

this is the main arterial supply of the lower extremity

Answer 16

FEMORAL ARTERY

Question 17

The femoral artery is a continuation of what?

Answer 17

external iliac artery

begins from the midpoint of the inguinal ligament,
through the femoral triangle and then goes deep to the sartorius muscle within the adductor canal

Question 18

the femoral artery will pass through the adductor hiatus to become the?

Answer 18

popliteal artery

Question 19

branches of the femoral artery include:

Look at diagram on pg. 424-425

Answer 19

1. superficial branches–which arise within the femoral triangle, about one inch below the
   inguinal ligament and usually emerge through the saphenous opening; they supply the proximal anterior thigh region and the named superficial branches are the: -superficial circumflex iliac, superficial epigastric and superficial (external) pudendal
2. Deep Artery of the Thigh (Femoral Profundus) –which is the first major branch of the artery, arising about two inches below the inguinal ligament
3. Lateral and Medial Circumflex– is the first branches coming off the femoral profundus
   which wind around the neck of the femur and supply muscles on the lateral and medial
   aspect of the thigh as well as being the main blood supply to the neck and head of the
   femur
4. perforating arteries– are branches coming off the femoral profundus distal to the
   circumflex branches which “perforate” the adductor muscles; they are usually 3 to 5 in
   number and supply muscles and skin on the posterior aspect of the thigh.
5. descending genicular artery– arises from the medial side of the femoral and supplies the knee and medial aspect of the leg

Question 20

T/F the best place to take a pulse of the artery is below the midpoint of the inguinal ligament; at this site the
vessel is compressed against the pubic tubercle

Answer 20

True

Question 21

What enters the thigh by passing through the opening in the adductor magnus as a
continuation of the popliteal vein

Answer 21

the femoral vein

Question 22

as the femoral vein leaves the femoral triangle and enters the pelvis, it becomes the

Answer 22

external iliac vein

Question 23

in the inferior part of the femoral triangle, the femoral vein lies deep to the femoral artery and receives tributaries
from the ………………and…………………….

Answer 23

femoral profundus and great saphenous vein

Question 24

lymphatic vessels and nodes found in the femoral triangle

found along and accompanying the great saphenous vein and its tributaries

Answer 24

Inguinal Lymph Nodes

Question 25

lymph nodes associated with the popliteal vein in the popliteal
fossa

Answer 25

popliteal lymph nodes

Question 26

􀁸 a long narrow passageway found along the medial aspect of the thigh􀁸 located deep to the middle third of the sartorius begins at the apex of the femoral triangle and ends at the adductor hiatus of the adductor magnus

Answer 26

Adductor Canal (Subsartorial or Hunter’s Canal)

Question 27

Adductor Canal (Subsartorial or Hunter’s Canal) provides a passageway for what 3 structures?

Answer 27

femoral artery

femoral vein

saphenous nerve

Question 28

these arteries are branches of the internal iliac artery

􀁸 they leave the pelvic cavity via the greater sciatic notch

Answer 28

Superior and Inferior Gluteal Arteries

Question 29

the superior gluteal artery supplies the:

Answer 29

1. gluteus maximus
2. gluteus medius and minimus
3. tensor fascia lata

Question 30

the inferior gluteal artery supplies the:

Answer 30

1. gluteus maximus
2. obturator internus
3. quadratus femoris
4. posterior thigh muscles

Question 31

􀁸 a mostly fat filled compartment of the posterior knee region. where important blood vessels and nerves
pass from the thigh to the leg
􀁸 it is diamond shaped and most prominent when the leg is flexed

Answer 31

Popliteal Fossa

Question 32

lateral boundary of the Popliteal fossa

Answer 32

biceps femoris and the lateral head of the gastrocnemius

Question 33

medial boundary of the Popliteal fossa

Answer 33

semimembranosus, semitendinosus and the medial head of the

gastrocnemius

Question 34

roof boundary of the Popliteal fossa

Answer 34

deep fascia and skin

Question 35

floor boundary of the Popliteal fossa

Answer 35

popliteal surface of the femur, posterior extrinsic ligaments of the
knee joint and the popliteus muscle

Question 36

contents of the popliteal fossa include:

263, 431 L.M. book

Answer 36

1. popliteal artery and vein
2. lesser saphenous vein
3. common fibular nerve
4. tibial nerve
5. posterior femoral cutaneous nerve
6. popliteal lymph nodes

Question 37

􀁸 this is the distal continuation of the femoral artery, once that vessel has passed through the adductor
hiatus of the adductor magnus muscle
􀁸 it is the deepest neurovascular structure of the popliteal fossa

Answer 37

Popliteal Artery

Question 38

Popliteal Artery has genicular branches which supply the capsule and ligaments of the knee joint T/F?

Answer 38

T

Question 39

What is at the back of the knee, providing collateral circulation to the leg during full flexion at the
knee joint (when the popliteal artery may be compressed)

Answer 39

genicular

anastomosis

Question 40

Popliteal Artery terminates at the inferior aspect of the fossa into the……..

Answer 40

anterior and posterior tibial arteries

Question 41

is an abnormal dilation of the artery which causes swelling and pain in the fossa; this
type of aneurysm may compromise nerves and cause pain to the skin covering the leg and foot

Answer 41

popliteal aneurysm

Question 42

the bifurcation of the popliteal artery may become the site of an

Answer 42

arterial embolism

which would result in
the loss of blood to leg and foot

Question 43

T/F the deep position of the Popliteal Artery makes it prone to injury if the distal end of the femur is fractured or if there is a posterior dislocation of the knee joint

Answer 43

True