Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (L2–L3)
Nerves · L2 L3
Purely sensory. Emerges from the lateral border of psoas, crosses iliacus beneath its fascia and passes under (sometimes through) the lateral end of the inguinal ligament about 1–2 cm medial to the ASIS to supply the anterolateral thigh down to the knee.
Traced from the start
- L2 anterior ramusL3 anterior ramusL4 anterior ramus
- Lumbar plexus posterior divisions (L2–L4)
- Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (L2–L3)
Detail
- Motor
- None
- Sensory
- Anterolateral thigh from the greater trochanter to the knee
When it goes wrong
Meralgia paraesthetica: compression at the inguinal ligament by obesity, pregnancy, tight belts or trousers, prolonged prone or hip-extended positioning, or iliac crest bone harvest
Burning pain, tingling and numbness over the anterolateral thigh with no weakness and a normal knee jerk; worse standing and walking, eased by sitting (hip flexion slackens the ligament)
Practise this structure
1 question in the bank tagged Sensory Territory.