Anatomy
Lower Limb
You are discussing approaches to analgesia in a patient with a fractured neck of femur. Your consultant suggests a femoral nerve block. The femoral triangle is bordered laterally by which of the following structures:
Answer:
The femoral triangle is bordered superiorly by the inguinal ligament, laterally by the medial border of the sartorius muscle and medially by the medial border of the adductor longus muscle.Femoral Triangle
Anatomy / Lower Limb / Femoral Triangle
Last Updated: 10th April 2019
The femoral triangle is a wedge-shaped depression formed by muscles in the upper thigh at the junction between the anterior abdominal wall and the lower limb.
Table: Anatomical Boundaries and Contents of the Femoral Triangle
| Femoral Triangle | Structure(s) |
|---|---|
| Superior border | Inguinal ligament |
| Lateral border | Medial sartorius muscle |
| Medial border | Medial adductor longus muscle |
| Roof | Fascia lata |
| Floor | Pectineus, iliopsoas and adductor longus muscles |
| Contents | Femoral nerve, femoral artery, femoral vein, femoral canal |
Borders
The femoral triangle is bordered superiorly by the inguinal ligament, laterally by the medial border of the sartorius muscle and medially by the medial border of the adductor longus muscle. The roof is formed by the fascia lata and the floor is formed by the pectineus, iliopsoas and adductor longus muscles.
![By Henry Vandyke Carter [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://mrcemsuccess.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Femoral-Triangle.png)
Femoral Triangle. (Image by Henry Vandyke Carter [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)
Contents
The contents of the femoral triangle include (from lateral to medial):
- The femoral nerve
- The femoral sheath containing:
- The femoral artery
- The femoral vein
- The femoral canal containing:
- Lymphatic vessels and deep inguinal nodes
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- Biochemistry
- Blood Gases
- Haematology
| Biochemistry | Normal Value |
|---|---|
| Sodium | 135 – 145 mmol/l |
| Potassium | 3.0 – 4.5 mmol/l |
| Urea | 2.5 – 7.5 mmol/l |
| Glucose | 3.5 – 5.0 mmol/l |
| Creatinine | 35 – 135 μmol/l |
| Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) | 5 – 35 U/l |
| Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT) | < 65 U/l |
| Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) | 30 – 135 U/l |
| Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) | < 40 U/l |
| Total Protein | 60 – 80 g/l |
| Albumin | 35 – 50 g/l |
| Globulin | 2.4 – 3.5 g/dl |
| Amylase | < 70 U/l |
| Total Bilirubin | 3 – 17 μmol/l |
| Calcium | 2.1 – 2.5 mmol/l |
| Chloride | 95 – 105 mmol/l |
| Phosphate | 0.8 – 1.4 mmol/l |
| Haematology | Normal Value |
|---|---|
| Haemoglobin | 11.5 – 16.6 g/dl |
| White Blood Cells | 4.0 – 11.0 x 109/l |
| Platelets | 150 – 450 x 109/l |
| MCV | 80 – 96 fl |
| MCHC | 32 – 36 g/dl |
| Neutrophils | 2.0 – 7.5 x 109/l |
| Lymphocytes | 1.5 – 4.0 x 109/l |
| Monocytes | 0.3 – 1.0 x 109/l |
| Eosinophils | 0.1 – 0.5 x 109/l |
| Basophils | < 0.2 x 109/l |
| Reticulocytes | < 2% |
| Haematocrit | 0.35 – 0.49 |
| Red Cell Distribution Width | 11 – 15% |
| Blood Gases | Normal Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 7.35 – 7.45 |
| pO2 | 11 – 14 kPa |
| pCO2 | 4.5 – 6.0 kPa |
| Base Excess | -2 – +2 mmol/l |
| Bicarbonate | 24 – 30 mmol/l |
| Lactate | < 2 mmol/l |
