By: Dr.
Sana Kashif
Deep fascia of the thigh
Fascia lata
The deep fascia encloses the thigh like a trouser leg.
Saphenous hiatus
A gap in the deep fasica which lies about 4 cm
below and lateral to the pubic tubercle. The
falciform margin is the lower lateral border of
the opening, which lies anterior to the femoral
vessels.
Filled with loose connective tissue called the
cribriform fascia
Opening for Great saphenous vein: Empties
into femoral vein.
Drains medial side of dorsal venous arch.
Femoral triangle
A triangular depressed area situated in the
upper part of the medial aspect of the thigh
just below the inguinal ligament.
Boundaries
Superiorly (base): the inguinal ligament
Laterally: medial border of sartorius
Medially: medial border of adductor
longus
Apex: continuous with adductor canal
Anterior wall: fascia lata
Posterior wall (floor): consists of
iliopsoas, pectineus and adductor longus
from lateral to medial side
Femoral triangle
Contents:
Femoral nerve (not in femoral sheath)
Femoral sheath
Femoral artery and its branches
Femoral vein and its tributaries.
Femoral canal
Lymphatics
Deep inguinal lymph nodes
Connective tissue
Femoral triangle
Femoral sheath
A funnel- shaped sheath
Derived from transversalis fascia
anteriorly and iliac fascia posteriorly
It surrounds the femoral vessels and
lymphatic about 2.5cm below the
inguinal ligament.
Its lower end disappears at the lower
margin of the saphenous opening where
the sheath fuses with the adventitia of
the vessels.
Femoral sheath
Divided into three compartments by two fibrous septa
Lateral compartment: Femoral artery.
Middle compartment: Femoral vein.
Medial compartment: Femoral canal
The femoral canal
Small medial compartment about 1.3cm
long, its upper opening is called the
femoral ring.
Contains: a little loose fatty tissue, a
small lymph node, and some lymph
vessels.
The boundaries of the femoral ring
Anteriorly: the inguinal ligament
Medially: the lacunar ligament
Posteriorly: superior ramus of pubis
Laterally: the femoral vein
Superior: closed by femoral septum
(condensation of extra peritoneal
tissue)
Femoral Hernia
If a loop of intestine is forced
into the femoral ring, it
expands to form a swelling in
the upper part of the thigh.
Such a condition is known as a
femoral hernia .
A femoral hernia is more
common in women than in
men (possibly because their
wider pelvis and femoral
canal).
Femoral Artery
Femoral artery:
Continuation of the external iliac artery.
Begins midpoint of inguinal ligament.
Ends at the adductor tendinous opening by
entering the popliteal fossa as the popliteal
artery.
Principal branch － Profunda femoris (deep
femoral) artery
Arises from the posterolateral surface of the
femoral artery about 5 cm below the inguinal
ligament.
Medial femoral circumflex
lateral femoral circumflex
Four perforating arteries
Femoral Vein
Begins at the adductor tendinous
opening (Adductor hiatus) as
continuation of popliteal vein.
Runs in the adductor canal then
accompanies the femoral artery in
the femoral sheath and becomes
the external iliac vein deep to
inguinal ligament.
Contains several valves.
The deep inguinal lymph nodes
Lie medial to the femoral vein.
Receive deep lymphatics of
lower limb, perineal region, and
efferent lymphatics from the
superficial inguinal lymph
nodes.
Drain into the external iliac
lymph nodes.
Femoral nerve
Arises from the lumbar plexus in the abdomen,
and enters the thigh posterior to the inguinal
ligament and lateral to the femoral artery.
It ends by dividing into a number of branches 2
cm below the inguinal ligament.
Muscular branches to: pectineus, sartorius,
quadriceps femoris.
Cutaneous branches:
Anterior cutaneous nerves of the thigh
Saphenous nerve is the longest branch of the
femoral nerve. It accompanies the femoral
vessels in the adductor canal, then accompanies
the great saphenous vein to the medial side of
the leg and foot.
Adductor Canal
An intermuscular cleft situated on the
medial aspect of the middle third of the
thigh beneath the sartorius.
Extends from apex of femoral triangle to
adductor tendinous opening (adductor
hiatus).
Boundaries
Anteromedial wall: Sartorius
Lateral wall : Vastus medialis
Posteromedial wall: Adductors longus
and magnus
Femoral n.
Femoral a.
Femoral v.
Saphenous nerve
Adductor Canal
Contents
Saphenous nerve (Termination of Femoral Nerve)
Terminal part of Femoral artery
Terminal part of Femoral vein
Deep lymphatic vessels and loose connective tissue
Nerve to vastus medialis
Terminal part of obturator nerve
