Patellar Plexus
By : Omar M. Subhi Altaie• Name
Patellar means something that related to the patella bone; that Located anterior to the knee joint, it considered as largest sesamoid bone in the body. The word Plexus is referred to a network of nerves that joined together at that area.
• Origin & Location
The plexus formed anterior to the knee joint, more superficially, it is the meeting of several branches of femoral nerve or its terminal branch the saphenous nerve too, and they are as follows :-
1. Anterior branch of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve :- originates from lumbar plexus and run lateral and slightly anterior on the thigh until it reaches the knee where it ends by joining the patellar plexus.
2. Medial femoral cutaneous nerve of thigh :- branch of femoral nerve that supplies the skin of medial side of the thigh and continues until it reaches and join the patellar plexus.
3. Intermediate cutaneous nerve of thigh :- it is also a branch of femoral nerve that in turn divided into two branches and supplies the middle aspect of the thigh.
4.Infrapatellar branch of saphenous nerve :- it considered as a quite large branch of the saphenous nerve, piercing the Sartorius muscle reaches the knee innervating the skin over it, it communicates with anterior branches of femoral branches above the knee, and with other branch of saphenous nerve below it, forming the patellar plexus.
1. Anterior branch of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve :- originates from lumbar plexus and run lateral and slightly anterior on the thigh until it reaches the knee where it ends by joining the patellar plexus.
2. Medial femoral cutaneous nerve of thigh :- branch of femoral nerve that supplies the skin of medial side of the thigh and continues until it reaches and join the patellar plexus.
3. Intermediate cutaneous nerve of thigh :- it is also a branch of femoral nerve that in turn divided into two branches and supplies the middle aspect of the thigh.
4.Infrapatellar branch of saphenous nerve :- it considered as a quite large branch of the saphenous nerve, piercing the Sartorius muscle reaches the knee innervating the skin over it, it communicates with anterior branches of femoral branches above the knee, and with other branch of saphenous nerve below it, forming the patellar plexus.
Clinical Relevance
The patellar plexus is formed mostly by nerves whiches are responsible for the sensation of the thigh, thus any injury happened to any of them might lead to loss of sensation in that area.
During the surgery of patella or knee joint that might happen to cut one these sensory nerves and lose the sensation in the area that nerve supply, or in the dislocation of the joint that might affect them and lead to the same conclusion.
During the surgery of patella or knee joint that might happen to cut one these sensory nerves and lose the sensation in the area that nerve supply, or in the dislocation of the joint that might affect them and lead to the same conclusion.
REFERENCES
• Medial femoral cutaneous nerve conduction national library of medicine H J Lee et al. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 1995 Jul-Aug. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7632388/#:~:text=Medial%20femoral%20cutaneous%20nerve%20(MFCN,for%20this%20nerve%20is%20described.
• Lateral femoral Cutaneous nerve Last revised by Dr Michael Stewart on 02 Aug 2021 https://radiopaedia.org/articles/lateral-femoral-cutaneous-nerve
• Snell's clinical anatomy by Region's (10th Edition) page 1290
• Gray's Anatomy 1918 page 953
• Lateral femoral Cutaneous nerve Last revised by Dr Michael Stewart on 02 Aug 2021 https://radiopaedia.org/articles/lateral-femoral-cutaneous-nerve
• Snell's clinical anatomy by Region's (10th Edition) page 1290
• Gray's Anatomy 1918 page 953
IMAGES REFERENCES
• Cover image from https://musculoskeletalkey.com/patella-fractures-and-injuries-to-the-knee-extensor-mechanism/
• Fig1 Frank H. Netter, Atlas of Human Anatomy (6th edition) plate 470
• Fig2 Chihiro Yokochi, E. Lutejen-Drecoll, and Johannes W. Rohen Color Atlas of Anatomy 7th Edition page 492
• Fig1 Frank H. Netter, Atlas of Human Anatomy (6th edition) plate 470
• Fig2 Chihiro Yokochi, E. Lutejen-Drecoll, and Johannes W. Rohen Color Atlas of Anatomy 7th Edition page 492
