Regarding the femoral triangle and its contents, all of the following statements are correct EXCEPT:

Explanation

## Anatomy of the Femoral Triangle ### Boundaries and Roof **Key Point:** The femoral triangle is a superficial depression in the upper medial thigh bounded by three muscles and covered by fascia. | Structure | Details | | --- | --- | | **Lateral border** | Medial edge of sartorius muscle | | **Medial border** | Medial edge of adductor longus muscle | | **Superior border** | Inguinal ligament | | **Roof** | Skin, superficial fascia, cribriform fascia | | **Floor** | Iliopsoas, pectineus, adductor longus | ### Contents of the Femoral Sheath **High-Yield:** The femoral sheath is a funnel-shaped extension of the transversalis and iliopectineal fascia that encloses three structures in three separate compartments: 1. **Femoral artery** — lies laterally within the sheath 2. **Femoral vein** — lies medially within the sheath 3. **Femoral canal** — lies medially, contains lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels (NOT the femoral nerve) ### The Femoral Nerve — Critical Distinction **Warning:** The femoral nerve is **NOT** enclosed within the femoral sheath. This is a common NEET PG trap. - The femoral nerve lies **lateral** to the femoral artery - It descends **outside** the femoral sheath, between the psoas and iliacus muscles - It is separated from the femoral sheath by the iliopectineal fascia - It lies in the **iliopsoas compartment**, not within the femoral sheath **Clinical Pearl:** This anatomical distinction is clinically important — femoral artery puncture can cause bleeding into the femoral sheath, but femoral nerve compression requires a different pathology (e.g., psoas hematoma, iliacus abscess). **Mnemonic:** **VAN** (Vein, Artery, Nerve) — but only VA are in the sheath; N is outside. ### Summary Table: Femoral Triangle Contents | Structure | Location | Within Sheath? | Compartment | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Femoral artery | Lateral | Yes | Arterial compartment | | Femoral vein | Medial | Yes | Venous compartment | | Femoral nerve | Lateral to artery | **No** | Iliopsoas compartment | | Lymph nodes | Medial to vein | Yes | Femoral canal | [cite:Gray's Anatomy 42e Ch 45]