Femoral Region

Overview

• Femoral sheath
  • a funnel-shaped fascia tube that passes 3-4 cm deep to the inguinal ligament
  • encloses femoral artery, vein and creates femoral canal medially
    • does NOT enclose femoral nerve
  • subdivided into 3 smaller compartments internally by vertical septa by extraperitoneal connective tissue that extends from abdomen along femoral vessels
    • lateral compartment contains femoral artery
    • intermediate compartment contains femoral vein
    • medial compartment contains femoral canal
• Femoral canal
  • contains loose connective tissue, fat, lymphatics, and sometimes a deep inguinal lymph node (of Cloquet)
  • allows femoral vein to expand when venous return from lower limb increases
  • base of femoral canal (superior end) is oval femoral ring
• Femoral triangle 
  • bounded by inguinal ligament superiorly, sartorius muscle laterally, and adductor longus muscle medially
  • floor is formed by iliopsoas, pectineus, and adductor longus muscles
  • roof is formed by fascia lata and cribriform fascia
  • contains femoral nerve, artery, vein
• Organization 
  • lateral to medial (“NAVeL”)
    • Nerve
    • Artery
    • Vein
    • empty
    • Lymphatics
  • “venous near the penis”