Lower Limb Flashcards
What is the lateral border of the femoral triangle?
Sartorius muscle
What is the medial border of the femoral triangle?
Adductor longus muscle
What are the contents of the femoral triangle (lateral to medial)?
Femoral nerve Femoral artery Femoral vein Empty space Lymph canal
Where does the adductor canal start and end?
It extends from the apex of the femoral triangle to the adductor hiatus
What is in the adductor canal?
Femoral sheets creates 3 compartments for the femoral artery, femoral vein and the lymphatics.
What is the adductor canal bounded by?
Bounded anteriorly and laterally by vastus medialis
Posteriorly by adductor longus and adductor magnus
Medially by sartorius
What structure can be damaged in a superior pubic rami fracture and what consequences does this have?
Can damage the obturator nerve.
Loss of motor supply to adductor longus, brevis & Magnus, gacilis and obturator externus, leads weakened/ loss of hip adduction.
What is a femoral hernia?
A protrusion of abdominal viscera (eg a loop of the small intestine) through the femoral ring into the femoral canal medial to the femoral vein, inferolateral to the pubic tubercle.Compresses structures in the femoral triangle.
Appears clinically as a lump or bulge in the femoral triangle region.
Is a femoral hernia more common in females or males, why?
More common in females because of a wider pelvis.
How can femoral hernias lead to necrosis?
The rigid boundaries of the hernia may strangulate it and cut of the blood supply, causing avascular necrosis.
What forms the roof of the femoral triangle?
Fascia lata
What for,s the floor of the femoral triangle?
The pectineus, iliopsoas and adductor longus muscles
Where can the femoral pulse be palpated?
Midway between the ASIS and the pubic symphysis
What clinical procedure is the femoral artery used for and why? Explain this procedure
Coronary angiography, the artery is catheterised with a long thin tube that is navigated up the iliac artery, eventually to the coronary arteries. A radioactive dye is ejected into the vessels and any thickening or blockages can be visualised via x-ray imaging.
The femoral artery is located superficially in the femoral triangle, this easy to access.
Where does the femoral nerve enter the femoral triangle?
At the midpoint of the inguinal ligament
What are the functions of the hip joint?
Supports body weight in standing
Involved in locomotion
What are the three bones of the hip and when do they fuse?
The ilium, ischium and pubis.
Fusion of bones begins at 15-17 and is complete by age 20-25.
What strengthens the hip joint?
Acetabular labrum
Joint capsule
Ligaments
Muscles
What is the Acetabular labrum and how does it strengthen the hip joint?
A fibrocartilaginous rim attached to the margin of the acetabulum and the Acetabular notch.
It increases the contact of the articulating surfaces by 10%, so over 50% of the head of the femur fits in the acetabulum
Where does the hip joint capsule attach to the femur?
At the intertrochanteric line anteriorly and just below the head posteriorly (the lateral part of the posterior neck is extra-capsular)
What ligaments support the hip joint?
Iliofemoral ligament
Pubofemoral ligament
Ischiofemoral ligament
Accessory ligaments: Transverse Acetabular Ligament and the Ligamentum Teres
Describe the iliofemoral ligament
Arises from the ASIS and spreads downwards and laterally to the intertrochanteric line on the anterior side of the femoral head.
The strongest ligament of the hip, protects the hip superiorly and anteriorly.
Describe the pubofemoral ligament
Attached to the superior pubic rami and obturator crest above and blends with the joint capsule distally.
Protects the hip joint anteriorly and inferiorly, prevents over-abduction and external rotation.
What is the superior border of the Femoral triangle?
The inguinal ligament
Describe the Ischiofemoral ligament
Arises from the ischial tuberosity and extends laterally to the posterior femoral neck.
The weakest ligament. Protects the hip posteriorly, helps to stabilise the joint.
Where/what is the Ligamentum Teres?
The ligament of the head of the femur.
Travels through the fovea capitis and blends with the transverse Acetabular ligament.
Contains the obturator artery.
What is the role of the Transverse Acetabular Ligament?
Strengthens the inferior part of the acetabulum (where the acetabular notch is)
What is the blood supply to the hip joint?
Major source = the Deep Femoral artery (branches into medial and lateral circumflex arteries)
Minor source = the Obturator artery (from the ligament of the head of the femur)
How might avascular necrosis of the femoral head occur?
In a fracture of the femoral head.
This can tear retinacular arteries (branches of the circumflex arteries) and the obturator artery can not adequately supply the joint, resulting in avascular necrosis of the femoral head.