Important Structures of Lower Limb MCQs

The adductor canal contains: the femoral artery, femoral vein, saphenous nerve, and nerve to vastus medialis. Adductor longus and magnus make the posterior boundary of the canal, and vastus medialis is the lateral boundary of the canal. The roof of the canal is formed by sartorius. The deep femoral artery branches from the femoral artery in the femoral triangle; it then travels deep in the thigh, posterior to adductor longus. So, it is deep to the canal. The deep femoral artery supplies blood to the posterior compartment of the thigh through perforating branches. Reference: Textbook of Gray's Anatomy for students, 3rd Edition, Lower Limb, Page number - 573

The popliteal fossa is diamond shaped with four borders. These borders are formed by the muscles in the posterior compartment of the leg and thigh: Superomedial - semimembranosus. Superolateral - biceps femoris. Inferomedial - medial head of the gastrocnemius. Inferolateral - lateral head of the gastrocnemius and plantaris. The floor of the popliteal fossa is formed by the posterior surface of the knee joint capsule, popliteus muscle and posterior femur. The roof is made of up two layers: popliteal fascia and skin. The popliteal fascia is continuous with the fascia lata of the leg. Reference: Textbook of Gray's Anatomy for students, 3rd Edition, Lower Limb, Page number - 616

The femoral canal usually contains a deep inguinal lymph node, called the gland or node of Cloquet. This canal opens to the abdominal cavity through the femoral ring, so it might be the site of a femoral hernia. The femoral artery and vein are enclosed in the femoral sheath with the femoral canal, but they are not in the femoral canal. The femoral nerve is also in the femoral triangle, but it is not enclosed by the femoral sheath. It is the most lateral structure in the femoral triangle. The ilioinguinal nerve is not really part of the anatomy of this region. It innervates muscles of the lower abdominal wall and is associated with the superficial inguinal ring. Make sure to remember the difference between the femoral canal and femoral sheath! Reference: Textbook of Gray's Anatomy for students, 3rd Edition, Lower Limb, Page number - 553

Mesenchyme is a term used interchangeably with mesoderm, which forms many structures, including muscle, cartilage, blood cells and blood vessels. Epidermis, on the other hand, is of ectodermal origin, not mesenchyme. Realize, though, that the dermis, just below the epidermis, is of mesenchymal origin. Reference - Textbook of Langman's, 12th Edition, General Embryology Page number - 51