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Lumbosacral Plexus

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(Redirected from Lumbar plexus)

Description

Formation of Lumbar Plexus[1]
Anatomy of the lumbar plexus[2]
Illustration of the lumbosacral plexus[3]
Anatomy of the sacral plexus[4]
A) Illustration of the lumbosacral plexus and the peripheral nerves relevant to the pelvic region; B) Sclerotomal distribution in the female; C) Sclerotomal distribution in the male[5]

Names

  • Lumbar Plexus
  • Sacral Plexus
  • Lumbosacral Plexus

Lumbar Plexus

Description

  • Network of nerve fibers supply skin, musculature of the lower body
  • Located in the lumbar region
  • Primarily within the psoas major muscle, anterior to the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae
  • Anterior rami of L1, L2, L3, L4, contributions from T12

Spinal Nerves

  • L1-L4 form the basis of the lumbar plexus
  • Each level: paired spinal nerves leave the spinal cord via the intervertebral foramina of the vertebral column
  • Each nerve divides into anterior and posterior nerve fibers
  • Lumbar plexus begins as the anterior fibers of L1-L4

Branches

  • Anterior rami of L1-L4 roots divide into cords
  • Cords combine to form the six major peripheral nerves of the lumbar plexus
  • Nerves descend down the posterior abdominal wall towards the lower limb

Iliohypogastric Nerve

Ilioinguinal Nerve

  • Follows a similar course to the iliohypogastric nerve
    • After innervating muscles of anterior abdominal wall
    • Passes through the inguinal ring to innervate the skin of the genitalia, middle thigh
  • Roots: L1
  • Motor: internal oblique, transversus abdominis
  • Sensory: Innervates the skin of the superior anteromedial thigh
    • Males (root of penis, anterior scrotum)
    • Females (mons pubis, labia majora)

Genitofemoral Nerve

  • After leaving psoas major
    • quickly divides into genital and femoral branches
  • Roots: L1, L2
  • Motor: Cremasteric Muscle
  • Sensory: upper anterior thigh
    • Males (anterior scrotum)
    • Females (mons pubis, labia majora)

Lateral Cutaneous Nerve of the Thigh

  • Purely sensory
  • Enters thigh lateral aspect of inguinal ligament
  • Roots: L2, L3
  • Motor: None
  • Sensory: anterior and lateral thigh down to the level of the knee
  • Clinical Significance

Obturator Nerve

Femoral Nerve


Sacral Plexus

Description

  • Network of nerves that supplies the skin and muscles of the pelvis and lower limb
  • Located on the surface of the posterior pelvic wall, anterior to the piriformis muscle
  • Nerves: anterior rami (divisions) of the sacral spinal nerves S1, S2, S3 and S4; contributions of L4 and L5

Spinal Nerves

  • Spinal Nerves: S1 to S4
  • Each level: paired spinal nerves leave the spinal cord via the intervertebral foramina of the vertebral column
  • Each nerve divides into the anterior and posterior nerve fibers

Lumbosacral Trunk

  • Sacral Plexus: begins as the anterior fibers of the spinal nerves S1, S2, S3, and S4
  • Joined by the 4th, 5th lumbar roots
  • This descends into the pelvis to meet the sacral roots as they emerge from the spinal cord

Branches

  • Anterior rami of S1-S4 roots divide into several cords
    • Along with the lumbosacral trunk
  • These combine to form the five major peripheral nerves of the sacral plexus
  • Descend down the posterior pelvic wall
  • Two main destinations:
    • Leave the greater sciatic foramen, enter the gluteal region of the lower limb
    • Remain in the pelvis and innervate the pelvic muscles, organs and perineum

Superior Gluteal Nerve

  • Leaves the pelvis via the greater sciatic foramen
    • Enters the gluteal region superiorly to the piriformis muscle
    • Accompanied by the gluteal artery, vein
  • Roots: L4, L5, S1
  • Motor: gluteus minimus, gluteus medius. tensor fascia lata
  • Sensory: none

Inferior Gluteal Nerve

  • Leaves via the greater sciatic foramen
    • Enters the gluteal region inferior to the piriformis muscle
  • Roots: L5, S1, S2
  • Motor: gluteus maximus
  • Sensory: none

Sciatic Nerve

Posterior Femoral Cutaneous Nerve

  • Leaves via the greater sciatic foramen
    • Enters the gluteal region inferiorly to the piriformis muscle
    • Descends deep to gluteus maximus, runs down the back of the thigh to the knee
  • Roots: S1, S2, S3
  • Motor: none
  • Sensory: posterior surface of the thigh and leg, skin of the perineum

Pudendal Nerve

  • Leaves via the greater sciatic foramen
    • Re-enters via lesser foramen
    • Moves anterosuperiorly along the lateral wall of the isciorectal fossa
    • Terminates by dividing into several branches
  • Roots: S2, S3, S4
  • Motor: skeletal muscles in the perineum, the external urethral sphincter, the external anal sphincter, levator ani
  • Sensory: penis and the clitoris and most of the skin of the perineum

Nerve to Obturator Internus

Other Branches


See Also


References

  1. Amudha, G., and Sandeep Diwan. "Anatomy of Lumbar Plexus and Implications to Regional Anesthesiologist." International Journal of Regional Anaesthesia 2.2 (2021): 102-106.
  2. Murinova, Natalia, Daniel Krashin, and Andrea M. Trescot. "Ilioinguinal nerve entrapment: pelvic." Peripheral Nerve Entrapments: Clinical Diagnosis and Management (2016): 467-477.
  3. Liyew, Worku Abie. "Clinical presentations of lumbar disc degeneration and lumbosacral nerve lesions." International journal of rheumatology 2020.1 (2020): 2919625.
  4. Liyew, Worku Abie. "Clinical presentations of lumbar disc degeneration and lumbosacral nerve lesions." International journal of rheumatology 2020.1 (2020): 2919625.
  5. Hunter, Corey W., et al. "Anatomy, pathophysiology and interventional therapies for chronic pelvic pain: a review." Pain Physician 21.2 (2018): 147.
Created by:
John Kiel on 19 September 2024 15:22:50
Authors:
Last edited:
18 March 2025 21:57:46
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