Femoral canal
Encyclopedia
The femoral sheath
has three compartments. The lateral compartment contains the femoral artery
, the intermediate compartment contains the femoral vein
, and the medial and smallest compartment is called the femoral canal. The femoral canal contains efferent lymphatic vessels and a lymph node
embedded in a small amount of areolar tissue. It is conical in shape and is about 2 cm long.
The femoral canal is bordered:
It contains the lymph nodes of Cloquet or Rosenmuller.
It should not be confused with the nearby adductor canal
.
, through which bowel can sometimes enter, causing a femoral hernia
.
is of physiologic importance. The space of the canal allows for the expansion of the femoral vein
when venous return from the lower limbs is increased or when increased intrabodominal pressure (valsalva maneuver
) causes a temporary stasis in the venous flow.
Femoral sheath
The femoral sheath is formed by a prolongation downward, behind the inguinal ligament, of the fasciæ which line the abdomen, the transversalis fascia being continued down in front of the femoral vessels and the iliac fascia behind them....
has three compartments. The lateral compartment contains the femoral artery
Femoral artery
The femoral artery is a general term comprising a few large arteries in the thigh. They begin at the inguinal ligament and end just above the knee at adductor canal or Hunter's canal traversing the extent of the femur bone....
, the intermediate compartment contains the femoral vein
Femoral vein
In the human body, the femoral vein is a blood vessel that accompanies the femoral artery in the femoral sheath. It begins at the adductor canal and is a continuation of the popliteal vein...
, and the medial and smallest compartment is called the femoral canal. The femoral canal contains efferent lymphatic vessels and a lymph node
Lymph node
A lymph node is a small ball or an oval-shaped organ of the immune system, distributed widely throughout the body including the armpit and stomach/gut and linked by lymphatic vessels. Lymph nodes are garrisons of B, T, and other immune cells. Lymph nodes are found all through the body, and act as...
embedded in a small amount of areolar tissue. It is conical in shape and is about 2 cm long.
The femoral canal is bordered:
- Anteriorly by the inguinal ligamentInguinal ligamentThe inguinal ligament is a band running from the pubic tubercle to the anterior superior iliac spine. Its anatomy is very important for operating on hernia patients.-Anatomy:...
- Posteriorly by the pectineal ligamentPectineal ligamentThe pectineal ligament is an extension of the lacunar ligament that runs on the pectineal line of the pubic bone....
lying anterior to the superior pubic ramus - Medially by the lacunar ligamentLacunar ligamentThe lacunar ligament is a ligament in the inguinal region that connects the inguinal ligament to the pectineal ligament near the point where they both insert on the pubic tubercle.-Anatomy:...
- Laterally by the femoral veinFemoral veinIn the human body, the femoral vein is a blood vessel that accompanies the femoral artery in the femoral sheath. It begins at the adductor canal and is a continuation of the popliteal vein...
It contains the lymph nodes of Cloquet or Rosenmuller.
It should not be confused with the nearby adductor canal
Adductor canal
The adductor canal is an aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the thigh, extending from the apex of the femoral triangle to the opening in the Adductor magnus, the Adductor hiatus.-Boundary:...
.
Clinical significance
The entrance to the femoral canal is the femoral ringFemoral ring
The femoral ring is the base of the femoral canal. It is directed upward and is oval in form, its long diameter being directed transversely and measuring about 1.25 cm.-Boundaries:The femoral ring is bounded as follows:...
, through which bowel can sometimes enter, causing a femoral hernia
Femoral hernia
A hernia is caused by the protrusion of a viscus through a weakness in the containing wall. This weakness may be inherent, as in the case of inguinal, femoral and umbilical hernias. On the other hand, the weakness may be caused by surgical incision through the muscles of the abdominal/thoracic wall...
.
Physiological significance
The position of the femoral canal medially to the femoral veinFemoral vein
In the human body, the femoral vein is a blood vessel that accompanies the femoral artery in the femoral sheath. It begins at the adductor canal and is a continuation of the popliteal vein...
is of physiologic importance. The space of the canal allows for the expansion of the femoral vein
Femoral vein
In the human body, the femoral vein is a blood vessel that accompanies the femoral artery in the femoral sheath. It begins at the adductor canal and is a continuation of the popliteal vein...
when venous return from the lower limbs is increased or when increased intrabodominal pressure (valsalva maneuver
Valsalva maneuver
The Valsalva maneuver or Valsalva manoeuvre is performed by moderately forceful attempted exhalation against a closed airway, usually done by closing one's mouth and pinching one's nose shut...
) causes a temporary stasis in the venous flow.
External links
- Diagram at NHSNational Health ServiceThe National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
- http://www.med.mun.ca/anatomyts/digest/abwall.htm