Femoral triangle

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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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

The femoral triangle is bounded:

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[edit | edit source]

The femoral triangle contains (from lateral to medial):

Clinical Significance[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Femoral triangle Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD