Femoral triangle

Femoral Triangle

The Femoral Triangle (also known as Scarpa's triangle) is an anatomical region of the upper inner human thigh. It is a subfascial space which in living people appears as a triangular depression inferior to the inguinal ligament when the thigh is flexed, abducted and laterally rotated.

Etymology

The term "Femoral" refers to the femur or the thigh bone, the largest bone in the human body. The term "Triangle" is used to describe the shape of this anatomical region. The term "Scarpa's triangle" is named after Antonio Scarpa, an Italian anatomist.

Boundaries

The femoral triangle is bounded:

• Superiorly: by the Inguinal Ligament
• Medially: by the medial border of the Adductor Longus Muscle
• Laterally: by the medial border of the Sartorius Muscle

The floor of the femoral triangle is formed by the Pectineus and Adductor Longus muscles medially and the Iliacus and Psoas Major muscles laterally. The roof of the femoral triangle is formed by skin, superficial and deep fascia.

Contents

The femoral triangle contains (from lateral to medial):

• The Femoral Nerve
• The Femoral Artery
• The Femoral Vein
• The Deep Inguinal Lymph Nodes

Clinical Significance

The femoral triangle is important in medicine and surgery, particularly for surgical access to the femoral artery and femoral vein. It is also a landmark for the inguinal lymph nodes, which can be palpated during a physical examination to assess for lymphadenopathy.

See Also

• Femoral Artery
• Femoral Vein
• Femoral Nerve
• Inguinal Ligament
• Adductor Longus Muscle
• Sartorius Muscle
• Pectineus
• Iliacus
• Psoas Major
• Deep Inguinal Lymph Nodes

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  3D Tour of the Femoral Triangle
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  Gray's Anatomy illustration of the Femoral Triangle
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  Borders of the Femoral Triangle
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  Contents of the Femoral Triangle