Lower Limb: Distal Neurovasculature Flashcards
Label the superficial veins of the foot on the diagram
Which nerves travel alongside these?
Short saphenous vein travels posterior to the lateral malleolus alongside the sural nerve.
Long saphenous vein travels anterior to the medial malleolus with the saphenous nerve
Superficial veins sit superficial to the deep fascia
Describe the route of the long saphenous vein
What can be formed as it joins the deeper veins?
Passes anterior to the medial malleolus and up the medial aspect of the leg, posterior to the patella and up the medial aspect of thigh
Enters the femoral triangle through the saphenous opening to join the femoral vein
- Saphena varix can form here
Which structure should be avoided when harvesting the long saphenous vein?
What fibres does this nerve carry?
Saphenous nerve
Somatic sensory
Describe the route of the short saphenous vein
Which nerve does it travel alongside?
Passes from lateral foot posterior to lateral malleolus, up posterior leg to the popliteal fossa via the crural fascia.
Joins the popliteal vein in the popliteal fossa.
Travels alongside sural nerve (cutaneous)
What may be a consequence of damage to the sural nerve?
Paraesthesia/pain to the lateral foot and lateral half of 5h metatarsal.
Label the veins on the image
What conditions could cause increased risk of DVT?
Hypercoagulability:
- Factor V Leiden thrombophilia
Label the nerves on the dissection photo
Which nerve of the leg is particularly vulnerable to damage?
Common fibular nerve
- Sits superficially around the neck of the fibula
- Often damaged in RTAs as pedestrians often hit at this level.
What does the deep fibular nerve innervate?
What could be the result of damage?
Muscles of anterior compartment of the leg
Muscles of dorsal foot
Skin between digits 1 & 2
Proximal damage results in foot drop
What does the superficial fibular nerve innervate?
What could damage lead to?
Lateral compartment muscles
Skin over dorsal foot
Damage could lead to inability to prevent foot inversion
Describe the route of the anterior tibial artery
How would you locate it on a patient?
Which nerve does it travel alongside?
Passes down anterior compartment of the leg into the dorsal foot where it becomes the dorsalis pedis artery
Sits between the tendons of extensor hallucis longus and extensor digitorum longus
Can be found lateral to extensor hallucis longus tendon (ask patient to extend big toe)
Travels alongside the deep fibular nerve.
Describe the routes of each artery on the map
What would be the consequences of a blockage of the femoral artery?
Lower limb would feel cold
Muscle pain worse on movement
Intermittent claudication
Label the arteries on the image
Describe the route of the dorsalis pedis artery
Why is this necessary?
Travels lateral to the tendon of extensor hallucis longus towards the 1st web space where it runs deep to join the arterial arch of the sole of the foot.
- This anastamotic supply is necessary to accommodate the occlusion of arteries when walking/standing.