Femoral sheath

Femoral sheath
Femoral sheath laid open to show its three compartments.
Structures passing behind the inguinal ligament.
Details
Identifiers
Latin	vagina femoralis
TA2	2697
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The femoral sheath (also called the crural sheath) is a funnel-shaped downward extension of abdominal fascia within which the femoral artery and femoral vein pass between the abdomen and the thigh. The femoral sheath is subdivided by two vertical partitions to form three compartments (medial, intermediate, and lateral); the medial compartment is known as the femoral canal and contains lymphatic vessels and a lymph node, whereas the intermediate canal and the lateral canal accommodate the femoral vein and the femoral artery (respectively). Some neurovascular structures perforate the femoral sheath. Topographically, the femoral sheath is contained within the femoral triangle.

Structure

The femoral sheath is funnel-shaped

The lateral wall of the sheath is vertical and is perforated by the lumboinguinal nerve; the medial wall is directed/oriented obliquely inferolaterally and is perforated by the great saphenous vein, and by lymphatic vessel.^[3]

The femoral sheath is contained in the femoral triangle.^{[citation needed]}

Compartments and contents

The sheath is divided by two vertical partitions which stretch between its anterior and posterior walls:^[3]

• The (smallest) medial compartment is named the
  areolar
  tissue.
• The intermediate compartment contains the femoral vein.^[4]
• The lateral compartment contains the femoral artery.

Function

The femoral sheath allows for the femoral artery and the femoral vein to pass between the abdomen and the thigh.^{[citation needed]}

Additional Images

• 
  Femoral sheath

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 625 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)