THE FEMORAL NERVE 



1001 



crural), and with the patellar branch of the saphenous nerve in front of the patella, forming 

 with them the patellar plexus. 



The femoral (anterior crural) nerve is the largest terminal branch of the lum- 

 bar plexus. It is formed chiefly by fibres of the dorsal branches of the anterior 

 primary divisions of the second, third, and fourth lumbar nerves, but it sometimes 

 receives fibres from the first nerve also (figs. 765 and 769). It emerges from the 

 lateral border of the psoas a short distance above Poupart's ligament, and descends 

 in the groove between the psoas and the iliacus, behindPoupart's ligment, into 



Fig. 765.— Lumbo-sacral Plexus. (After Toldt, 'Atlas of Human Anatomy,' Rebman, 



London and New York.) 

 Lumbar vertebrae 



Medial crus of diaphragm s 



Rib xn 



Psoas minor 



Intercostal XII 

 Qaadratus lumborum ^^/j 

 lUo-liypogastnc^ /^f , 7,, 



Ilio-inguinal ^-^i^ij(|;^. 

 Psoas major mfMa^^mwi 



Lumbar I (anterior branch) 

 _ y Muscular branch 



>4^ ^ Ilio-hypogastric 

 |f^'"^l^X. ^ Psoas minor 



Ziyt 'D ^- ' ,-Rami communicantes 

 Sympathetic trunk 



Lumbar II 



Genito-femoral 



Femoral 

 Iliopectineal fascia 



Obturator'' \ 

 Superior glutea' / 



Obturator fascia 



Piriformis with its muscular branch 



Ganglion coccygeum impar / / / 

 Coccygeal *' / 



Ano-coccygeal 



^Lumbo-sacral trunk 



^ Piriformis 

 \Sciatic 

 \Sacral plexus 

 \ '\Posterior cutaneous 

 \ Middle haemorrhoidal and 

 inferior vesical 



'.Pudendal plexus 



Sacral I-V 



the femoral trigone (Scarpa's triangle), where it Ues to the lateral side of the 

 femoral artery (fig. 767) , from which it is separated by some of the fibres of the 

 psoas. In this situation it is flattened out and it divides into two series of ter- 

 minal branches, the superficial and the deep. In general, they supply the muscles 

 and skin on the anterior aspect of the thigh. 



Branches. — The branches of the femoral nerve are collateral and terminal. 



The collateral branches are twigs of supply to the ihacus, and a branch to the 

 femoral artery; they are given off before the nerve enters the femoral trigone. 



