Nerves and vessels in the lower limb

Question 1

Answer 1

Question 2

Anterior ______ = ______ of a plexus

Answer 2

Anterior rami = roots of a plexus.

Question 3

What are the plexi of the body and what spinal levels to they exit from?

What accounts for the levels which do not form plexi?

Answer 3

Cervical plexus: C1 to C4.

Brachial plexus: C5 to T1.

Lumbar plexus: T12 to L4.

Sacral plexus: L4 to S4.

Coccygeal plexus: S5 to Co1.

Thoracic (T1 to T11) area there are individual intercostal nerves which are directly anterior rami.

Question 4

What connects the lumbar and the sacral plexi together?

Answer 4

The lumbosacral trunk (L4-L5).

Question 5

What branches is the femoral nerve made from?

What does it supply (muscle and skin)?

Answer 5

L2, L3 and L4.

Supplies the anterior compartment of the thigh.

Skin on the anterior and medial thigh.

Medial side of the leg via the saphenous nerve.

Question 6

What nerve supplies all of the adductors?

Which rami does this nerve come from?

Answer 6

Obturator nerve (L2, L3 and L4).

Question 7

What nerve supplies this part of the skin?

Answer 7

The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (sensory fibres only).

Question 8

What are the two divisions of the sciatic nerve?

What does the sciatic nerve supply?

Which spinal levels does the sciatic nerve come from?

Answer 8

Common fibular and tibial.

Sciatic nerve supplies all of the posterior compartment muscles of the thigh; all the leg muscles and foot muscles.

Comes from L4, L5, S1, S2 and S3.

Question 9

The gluteal nerves come from the ______ plexus. The _______ gluteal nerve supplies the gluteus Maximus and the __________ gluteal nerve supplies the ______ and the _________.

Answer 9

Sacral, inferior, superior, gluteus medius and gluteus minimis.

Gluteal nerves named in relation to where they sit on the piriformis muscle.

Question 10

Dermatomes.

Answer 10

Question 11

Dermatomes

Answer 11

Question 12

Answer 12

Question 13

If there is a prolapsed disc between L4 and L5, which spinal nerve will be affected?

Answer 13

L5.

Question 14

The tibial nerve supplies the:

Whereas the common peroneal nerve supplies the (give what each branch supplies):

Answer 14

Tibial: Posterior thigh and leg muscles; the intrinsic foot muscles.

Common fibular nerve: Anterior leg muscles (via the deep fibular nerve); lateral leg muscles (via the superficial fibular nerve); plus 2 intrinsic foot muscles (EDB and EHB which are supplied by the deep peroneal nerve).

Question 15

What problem will arise if there is a fracture at the neck of the fibular (nerve)?

Answer 15

Question 16

Compartments of the leg and which nerve runs through them?

Answer 16

Question 17

Answer 17

Question 18

The femoral artery passes through the ______ ______ which is in the ______ ______ muscle which it then the _________ artery.

Answer 18

adductor hiatus, adductor magnus, popliteus artery.

Question 19

Answer 19

Question 20

Popliteal artery splits into the _______ ______ artery and the _______ ________ artery.

________ tibial artery changes into _______ ______ artery when it crosses the ankle joint.

The _______ ________ artery has a branch called the _________ artery for the lateral compartment.

The ________ tibial artery goes through the tarsal tunnel and goes into the plantar surface and gives the ________ and ________ ________ artery (just like the _______ and ________ _______ nerves).

Answer 20

Popliteal artery splits into the posterior tibial artery and the anterior tibial artery.

Anterior tibial artery changes into dorsalis pedis artery when it crosses the ankle joint.

The posterior tibial artery has a branch called the fibular artery for the lateral compartment.

The posterior tibial artery goes through the tarsal tunnel and goes into the plantar surface and gives the medial and lateral plantar artery (just like the medial and lateral plantar nerves).

Question 21

In the popliteal fossa what is the most superficial to deep structures if looking from the posterior aspect?

Answer 21

Superficial to deep: tibial nerve and common fibula nerve; popliteal vein then the popliteal artery.

Question 22

Deep and superficial veins.

Answer 22

Question 23

What are perforating veins?

Answer 23

Connect the superficial to the deep veins and allow another means of drainage.

Question 24

What is the borders of the femoral triangle?
What is contained in the femoral triangle?

Answer 24

Contents are NAVY: Femoral nerve, artery and vein to the Y (middle) plus lymphatics (femoral canal).

Question 25

What is the femoral canal?

Answer 25

It is a space where the lymphatics run, it is covered by fascia. It is the most common place where a femoral hernia occurs. it is also a headspace which allows for expansion of the femoral vein.

Question 26

Answer 26

Question 27

Answer 27