Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve
(Redirected from Lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh)
Description
Names
- Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve
- Lateral Cutaneous Nerve of the Thigh (LCNT)
- Nervus Cutaneous Femoris Lateralis
General
- Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve (LFCN) is part of the lumbar plexus
- Primarily functions as a sensory nerve
Origins
- Several different combinations of lumbar nerve roots
- Varies from L1 to L3
- Originates from the lumbar plexus
Normal Anatomic Pathway
- Emerges at the lateral border of the psoas major, crosses the iliacus, to the anterior superior iliac spine.
- The nerve then passes under the inguinal ligament and over the sartorius muscle
- It then enters the thigh as it divides into an anterior posterior branch
- Anatomic variations occur about 25% of the time[3]
Branches and Supply
- Divides into the anterior and posterior branches
- Anterior branch
- Typically contains all the L3 fibers
- Terminal branches are distributed along the anterolateral surface of the thigh
- Terminal twigs also donate to the patellar plexus
- Posterior branch
- Typically contains all of the L2 fibers
- Continues down the posterolateral aspect of the thigh
- Terminal branches pass across the lateral and posterior surface of the thigh
Anatomic Variants
- Type A: LFCN runs posterior to the ASIS over the Iliac Crest (4%).
- Type B: LFCN runs anterior to the ASIS, above the tendinous origin of Sartorius, Embedded in the tissue of the Inguinal Ligament (27%).
- Type C: LFCN runs medial to the ASIS, embedded in the tendinous origin of Sartorius (23%)
- Type D: LFCN runs medial to the tendinous origin of Sartorius, localized between the tendon and Sartorius, and a thick fascia of Iliopsoas under the Inguinal Ligament (26%).
- Type E: LFCN runs further medially, is embedded in the connective tissue under the Inguinal Ligament, lies on the thin fascia of the Iliopsoas where it branches off toward the ramus femoralis of the nervus genitofemoralis (20%).
Function
- Purely sensory nerve
- Provides innervation to the anterolateral thigh
Clinical Significance
See Also
References
- ↑ de Ruiter, Godard CW, Johannes AL Wurzer, and Alfred Kloet. "Decision making in the surgical treatment of meralgia paresthetica: neurolysis versus neurectomy." Acta neurochirurgica 154 (2012): 1765-1772.
- ↑ Samuel, Linsen T., et al. "Modified iliac spine wafer osteotomy for exposure during Bernese periacetabular osteotomy." Journal of Hip Preservation Surgery 6.4 (2019): 421-425.
- ↑ de Ridder VA, de Lange S, Popta JV. Anatomical variations of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve and the consequences for surgery. J Orthop Trauma. 1999;13:207– 211.