Femoral Triangle and Canal

What is the medial boundary of the femoral triangle?

lateral margin of adductor longus muscle

What is the lateral boundary of the femoral triangle?

medial margin of the sartorius muscle

What is the superior boundary of the femoral triangle?

inguinal ligament

What is the floor (posterior) boundary of the femoral triangle?

iliopsoas and pectineus Mm

What is the roof (anterior) boundary of the femoral triangle?

fascia lata and cribiform fascia

What is a way to remember the contents of the femoral triangle?

Lateral to medial: NAVL- Nerve, artery, vein, lymphatic channel

What is the nerve in the femoral triangle?

Femoral N (L2-L4); largest branch of the lumbar plexus

Where is the femoral N located before it reaches the femoral triangle?

-Forms in abdomen, passes deep to the inguinal ligament;

-Located lateral to the femoral vessels

Where does the femoral N travel after the femoral triangle?

After entering the femoral triangle, the femoral nerve divides into several terminal branches to supply the anterior thigh Mm, the hip and knee joints

What is the terminal cutaneous branch of the femoral n?

The terminal cutaneous branch of the femoral nerve is the Saphenous nerve,

which supplies the skin on the anteromedial aspect of the knee, leg and foot

What is the artery that passes through the femoral triangle?

Femoral A: chief A of the lower limb; (inguinal ligament to adductor hiatus)

Where does the femoral a travel?

-Continuation of the external iliac distal to the inguinal ligament.

-Enters the femoral triangle midway between ASIS and pubic tubercle, deep to the inguinal ligament and lateral to the vein

-Descends medial to Iliopsoas and gives 1 major branch in the thigh: Deep femoral a

Deep femoral a

-largest branch of femoral and arises in the femoral triangle.

-major A of the thigh

Where does the deep femoral a travel after the femoral triangle

-Leaves femoral triangle by passing between pectineus and adductor

longus and runs deep to adductor longus where it gives perforating branches that supply posterior thigh Mm

-Usually gives rise to the circumflex femoral aa

What are the branches of the circumflex femoral aa?

Medial circumflex femoral a and lateral circumflex femoral a

Medial circumflex femoral a

passes between iliopsoas and pectineus;

supplies head and neck of femur

Lateral circumflex femoral a

deep to sartorius and rectus femoris;

supplies head of femur and Mm of lateral thigh

The femoral a exits the femoral triangle _____

-It its apex and runs deep to the

sartorius muscle in the adductor canal.

-It travels posteriorly through the

adductor hiatus to become the popliteal A.

Where can the femoral a pulse be found?

the femoral arterial pulse may be palpated just inferior to the midpoint of

the inguinal ligament.

What can also occur at the midpoint of the inguinal ligament for the femoral a?

-The femoral artery may also be compressed at this site

manually to control arterial bleeding after lower limb trauma.

-This site may also be used for cannulation or blood draws

What vein is in the femoral triangle?

Femoral v

What is the femoral v a continuation of?

continuation of the popliteal vein anterior to the adductor hiatus

Where does the femoral v receive blood from?

Receives blood from the Great saphenous V and the Deep femoral V within the

femoral triangle.

Where is the location of the femoral v in relation to the femoral a?

Located medial to the femoral artery

What does the femoral v do at the inguinal ligament?

At the inguinal ligament, it drains into the external iliac V

Femoral sheath

funnel shaped fascial tube that encloses the femoral vessels (not the nerve)

What is the femoral sheath made of?

It is an inferior prolongation of fascia of the abdomen (transversalis fascia)

What is the function of the femoral sheath

Allows vessels to glide under the inguinal ligament as the thigh is flexed and extended

What happens at the inferior end of the femoral sheath?

Becomes continuous with the fascia covering the vessels at its inferior end

What are the divisions of the femoral sheath?

Two vertical septa divide the sheath into three compartments:

1. lateral compartment for the femoral A,

2. middle (intermediate) compartment for the femoral V

3. medial compartment called the femoral canal.

What are the contents of the femoral canal?

Lymphatic channels, lymph nodes, loose connective tissue and fat

What is the superior end of the femoral canal?

Femoral ring

What separates the femoral canal from the abdomen

Separated from the abdomen by extraperitoneal fatty tissue called the femoral septum

Abdominal contents can push through the femoral canal causing a _____

femoral hernia

Is a femoral hernia more common in men or women?

women

Initially, the femoral hernia is small in size because it is contained within the femoral canal. However, contents may be pushed through ______

the inferior end at the Saphenous opening into the subcutaneous tissue of the thigh

Where does the adductor canal extend?

extends from the apex of the femoral triangle to the adductor hiatus

Where does the adductor canal begin?

where sartorius crosses over adductor longus

Where does the adductor canal end?

adductor hiatus

What are the contents of the adductor canal?

1. Femoral A and V

2. Saphenous n.

3. nerve to vastus medialis m.

What is another name for the adductor canal?

subsartorial canal