DEEP STRUCTURES OF

THEANTERIOR LEG

Christine Grecco&

Tobias Johnson

DEEP MUSCLES

MusclesObturator externusAdductor magnusAdductor minimusGracilisAdductor hiatusVastus medialis

DEEP MUSCLES

MusclesVastus intermediusRectus femorisSartoriusGracilisAdductor magnusVastus medialis

TENDONS

Tendons Pes anserinus

SartoriusSemitendinosusAdductor hiatus

Adductor magnus Gracilis

DEEP MUSCLES & TENDONS

Muscles Vastus medialis

Tendons Adductor Magnus

tendon Gastrocnemius

tendon, medial & lateral head

BURSA

Suprapatellar bursaSuperficial prepatellar burseDeep infrapatellar bursaSuperficial infrapatellar bursaPes anserine bursaSubsartorial bursaIliopectineal bursa (not pictured)

FEMORAL VESSELSTracing the supply of the lower extremeties

Common Femoral Artery (CFA)Travels two-thirds of the

thighPierces the adductor

magnusReaches the popliteal fossa

behind the kneeLies on the psoas major,

pectineusBranches to the deep (DFA)

and superficial femoral artery

CFADFA

FEMORAL VESSELSTracing the supply of the lower extremities

Deep Femoral Artery (DFA)Also known as the profundaBranches from the CFA

posteriorlyTravels closer to the femur

than the SFABetween pectineus and

adductor longusBranches into perforating

branches that perforate the adductor brevis and magnus adjacent to the femur.

DFA

FEMORAL VESSELSTracing the supply of the lower extremities

Superficial Femoral Artery (SFA)

Continues distally through the adductor canal

Can be found by cutting the sartorius near its middle and reflecting its two parts.

Leaves the thigh through the adductor hiatus to become the popliteal artery in the popliteal fossa

SFA

FEMORAL NERVEInnervating the muscles of locomotion

Femoral NerveLargest branch of the

lumbar plexusEmerges underneath the

the inguinal ligament and branches into anterior and posterior

Lies lateral to the femoral artery in the femoral triangle

FEMORAL NERVEInnervating the muscles of locomotion

Anterior Division Include motor nerves to

the pectineus and sartoriusAlso more cutaneous

branchesNerve to the pectineus can

be found by pushing the femoral vessels medially and probing behind them for a slender branch on the medial side of the nerve

FEMORAL NERVEInnervating the muscles of locomotion

Posterior Division Include the saphenous nerve

Long sensory nerve to the medial knee

Also includes the four motor branches to the quadriceps femoris heads

Rectus femoris enters on the superior deep surface of the muscle

Vastus lateralis enters on the lower part of that muscle with the lateral circumflex femoral artery

Vastus medialis branch travels with the saphenous nerve and enters the muscle at about its middle

The vastus intermedius branches enter the anterior surface of the muscle about the midpoint of the thigh

THE FEMURThe bone that holds it all together

Anterior landmarksHeadNeckGreater trochanterLesser trochanterLateral condyleMedial condyle Intercondylar fossaMedial epicondyleLateral epicondyle