SAPHENOUS NERVE

Branches of femoral nerve

• Anterior division: In the thigh the anterior division of the femoral nerve gives off anterior cutaneous and muscular branches.
• Anterior cutaneous branches: The anterior cutaneous branches comprise the following nerves:
• Intermediate femoral cutaneous nerve and
• Medial femoral cutaneous nerve

Muscular branches (rami musculares):

• The nerve to the Pectineus arises immediately below the inguinal ligament.
• The nerve to the Sartorius arises in common with the intermediate cutaneous.
• Posterior division: The posterior division- muscular branches supply the four parts of the Quadriceps femoris.
• The branch to the Rectus femoris enters the upper part of the deep surface of the muscle, and supplies a filament to the hip-joint.
• The branch to the Vastus lateralis, of large size, accompanies the descending branch of the lateral femoral circumflex artery.
• The branch to the Vastus medialis descends lateral to the femoral vessels in company with the saphenous nerve.
• The branches to the Vastus intermedius.
• The articular branch to the hip-joint is derived from the nerve to the Rectus femoris.
• The articular branches to the knee-joint are three in number.
• One, a long slender filament, is derived from the nerve to the Vastus lateralis.
• Another, derived from the nerve to the Vastus medialis
• The third branch is derived from the nerve to the Vastus intermedius.