A surgeon repairing a femoral hernia opens the femoral canal. Which of the following is normally found within the canal itself?
- A Femoral vein and its tributaries
- B Profunda femoris artery
- C Femoral branch of the genitofemoral nerve
- D Lymphatic vessel draining the deep inguinal nodes and the lymph node of Cloquet ✓
Correct answer: D. Lymphatic vessel draining the deep inguinal nodes and the lymph node of Cloquet
Explanation
The femoral canal, the most medial compartment of the femoral sheath, normally contains only a lymphatic vessel and the deepest inguinal lymph node (the node of Cloquet, lying at the saphenous opening level). Its function is to allow expansion of the femoral vein. The femoral vein occupies the intermediate compartment, and the femoral branch of the genitofemoral nerve lies outside the sheath entirely.
Reference: Gray's Anatomy, 42nd ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.