Vessels Of The Lower Limb

Question 0

What does an intracapsular fracture increase the risk of and why?

Answer 0

Avascular necrosis due to rupture of retinacular arteries (mostly from medial circumflex artery)

Question 1

What is the blood supply to the hip joint?

Answer 1

Retinacular arteries
Medial and lateral circumflex arteries
Artery to head of femur (branch of obturator artery)

Question 2

Blood supply to the knee?

Answer 2

Superior and inferior medial/lateral arteries.

Branches of the descending popliteal artery

Question 3

Which artery runs down the back of the leg?

Answer 3

Posterior tibial artery

Question 4

What does the posterior tibial artery divide into?

Answer 4

Lateral and medial plantar arteries

Question 5

What branches off the posterior tibial artery?

Answer 5

Fibular artery

Question 6

Course of the anterior tibial artery?

Answer 6

Branches from the popliteal artery
Enters anterior compartment piercing interosseous membrane.
Continues on dorsum of foot as dorsalis pedis artery

Question 7

Which artery can be palpated at the medial malleolus?

Answer 7

Posterior tibial

Question 8

Which artery is palpated on the dorsum of the foot?

Answer 8

Dorsalis pedis

Question 9

How are the arteries assessed for occlusion in the lower limb?

Answer 9

Comparison of lower limb pulses
Doppler ultrasound
Arteriogram (arteriogram following injection of radio-opaque contrast dye)

Question 10

Name the pulses that can be palpated in the lower limb

Answer 10

Femoral
Popliteal
Posterior tibial
Dorsalis pedis

Question 11

Consequences of peripheral arterial disease?

Answer 11

Skin problems
Lack of hair
Ulcers
Infection
Skin necrosis
Loss of pulses
Cold to touch

Question 12

Give the course of the great saphenous vein

Answer 12

Arises from dorsal venous arch of foot
Courses anterior to the medial malleolus
Passes the medial aspect of the knee
Passes through the fascia lata at the saphenous opening to drain into the femoral vein

Question 13

Course of the small saphenous vein?

Answer 13

Arises from lateral marginal vein of the foot
Passes posterior to the lateral malleolus
Courses up the posterior aspect of the calf
Drains into the popliteal vein at the popliteal fossa

Question 14

What are varicose veins caused by?

Answer 14

Valve flaps fail to meet or become damaged and incompetent

Question 15

Signs of a DVT?

Answer 15

Tender swollen calf

Warmth and erythema of affected limb

Question 16

Consequences of a DVT?

Answer 16

Pulmonary embolism

Cardiac shock

Question 17

Which nerves come off the sciatic nerve?

Answer 17

Tibial
Common fibular
Superficial fibular
Deep fibular
Sural

Question 18

Nerve roots of the femoral nerve?

Answer 18

L2-4

Question 19

What does the femoral nerve innervate?

Answer 19

Motor: Muscles that flex the hip (pectineus, iliacus and sartorius) and extend the knee (quads)
Sensory: anteriomedial thigh and medial side of leg and foot (saphenous)

Question 20

Origin of the sciatic nerve?

Answer 20

Sacral plexus (anterior and posterior divisions of anterior rami L4-S3)

Question 21

How does the sciatic nerve enter the gluteal region?

Answer 21

Inferior to the piriformis via the greater sciatic foramen

Question 22

What does sciatic nerve supply?

Answer 22

Motor: Posterior muscles of the thigh