A female patient has injury to the obturator nerve (L2-L4) following obturator hernia repair. Which specific motor deficit would be MOST prominent?

• A Weakness of thigh abduction
• B Weakness of knee extension
• C Weakness of hip flexion
• D Weakness of thigh adduction and medial rotation ✓

Explanation

The obturator nerve (L2-L4) exits the pelvis through the obturator foramen and divides into anterior and posterior divisions. It supplies the adductor muscles (adductor longus, brevis, magnus [partially], gracilis) and obturator externus. The primary action is thigh adduction and medial rotation. Thigh abduction is controlled by gluteus medius/minimus (superior gluteal nerve). Knee extension is by quadriceps (femoral nerve). Hip flexion is by iliopsoas (femoral nerve and direct L2-L3 branches).

Reference: BD Chaurasia's Human Anatomy, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.