A patient with anterior hip dislocation presents with weakness of hip flexion and inability to extend the knee, with sensory loss over the anterior thigh and medial leg. Which nerve injury does this pattern suggest?

• A Sciatic nerve injury — posterior division
• B Femoral nerve injury ✓
• C Obturator nerve injury
• D Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve injury

Explanation

Femoral nerve injury produces weakness of hip flexion (iliopsoas) and knee extension (quadriceps femoris), loss of knee jerk, and sensory loss over the anterior thigh (anterior femoral cutaneous nerve) and medial leg and foot (saphenous nerve — the femoral nerve's terminal sensory branch). Anterior hip dislocations can stretch or compress the femoral nerve as it passes beneath the inguinal ligament lateral to the femoral vessels. Obturator nerve injury causes hip adductor weakness and medial thigh sensory loss. Sciatic nerve injury (more common with posterior dislocations) causes foot drop and posterior thigh/leg sensory loss.

Reference: Maheshwari Essential Orthopaedics, 6th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.