Femoral Triangle Anatomy

Femoral Triangle

• A hollow area in the anterior thigh that contains neurovascular structures and is easily accessible, making it an area of both anatomical and clinical importance.
• Borders: superior border (inguinal ligament), lateral border (medial border of sartorius muscle), and medial border (medial border of adductor longus muscle).
• Floor: pectineus, iliopsoas, and adductor longus muscles.
• Roof: fascia lata.

Contents of Femoral Triangle

• Femoral nerve: innervates the anterior compartment of the thigh and provides sensory branches for the leg and foot.
• Femoral artery: responsible for the majority of arterial supply to the lower limb.
• Femoral vein: drains into the femoral vein within the triangle, including the great saphenous vein.
• Femoral canal: contains deep lymph nodes and vessels.

Femoral Canal

• A small, rectangular compartment located in the anterior thigh within the femoral triangle.
• Borders: medial border (lacunar ligament), lateral border (femoral vein), anterior border (inguinal ligament), and posterior border (pectineal ligament, superior ramus of pubic bone, and pectineus muscle).
• Contents: lymphatic vessels draining deep inguinal lymph nodes, deep lymph node (lacunar node), empty space, and loose connective tissue.

Femoral Ring

• Opening to the femoral canal located at its superior border, closed by the femoral septum.
• Femoral septum is pierced by lymphatic vessels exiting the canal.

Adductor Canal (Hunter's Canal, Subsartorial Canal)

• A 15cm-long, narrow, conical tunnel located in the thigh that extends from the apex of the femoral triangle to the adductor hiatus of the adductor magnus.
• Borders: anterior (sartorius), lateral (vastus medialis), and posterior (adductor longus and adductor magnus).
• Contents: femoral artery, femoral vein, nerve to vastus medialis, and saphenous nerve (largest cutaneous branch of femoral nerve).

Popliteal Fossa

• A diamond-shaped area found on the posterior side of the knee that serves as the main path for structures moving from the thigh to the leg.
• Borders: superomedial border (semimembranosus), superolateral border (biceps femoris), inferomedial border (medial head of gastrocnemius), and inferolateral border (lateral head of gastrocnemius and plantaris).
• Floor and roof: formed by muscles in the posterior compartment of the leg and thigh.