Example Written Questions
Anterior and Medial Thigh
  1. A 63-year-old female patient says that she has pain in her groin and upper thigh. Upon examination, you palpate a lump located below the inguinal ligament lateral to its attachment to the pubic tubercle. You suspect that this may be a hernia passing through the:
    femoral canal
    adductor hiatus
    obturator canal
    deep inguinal ring
    superfical ingumal ring
  2. The femoral canal contains the:
    Deep inguinal lymph node(s)
    Femoral artery
    Femoral nerve
    Femoral vein
    Ilioinguinal nerve
  3. Which movement would fail in case of paralysis of the quadriceps femoris muscle?
    Adduction at the hip
    Extension at the hip
    Extension at the knee
    Flexion at the knee
    Medial rotation at the knee
  4. Which structure does NOT enter or leave the inguinal region by passing deep to the inguinal ligament?
    Femoral artery
    Femoral nerve
    Femoral vein
    Psoas major muscle
    Round ligament of the uterus
  5. An elderly woman was found to have a hernial sac in the right femoral triangle and a marked weakness in adduction at the right hip joint. Which nerve was likely compressed by this herniation?
    Femoral
    Inferior gluteal
    Obturator
    Pudendal
    Sciatic
  6. When walking, the action of the ilopsoas muscle results in what motion at the hip joint?
    Abduction
    Adduction
    Extension
    Flexion
    Medial rotation
  7. The pulse of the femoral artery is best felt at which superficial reference point?
    Anterior to the ankle joint
    Femoral triangle
    Mid-thigh
    Popliteal fossa
    Right lateral portion of the hypogastrium
  8. If the femoral artery is occluded at the beginning of the adductor canal, which artery could help provide viability to the leg through collateral circulation?
    Descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral
    Descending genicular
    First perforating branch of the deep femoral
    Medial circumflex femoral
    Obturator
  9. At which site could one expect to enter the femoral vein with a simple percutaneous (through the skin) introduction of an instrument?
    Above the middle of the inguinal ligament
    Lateral to the femoral arterial pulse
    Lateral to the pubic tubercle
    Medial to the femoral arterial pulse
    Medial to the pubic tubercle
  10. What anterior thigh muscle must be retracted to expose the adductor canal and its contents?
    Adductor magnus
    Gracilis
    Rectus femoris
    Sartorius
    Vastus intermedius
  11. A serious complication of fractures of the femoral neck is avascular necrosis of the femoral head. This usually results from rupture of which artery?
    Acetabular branch of obturator
    Deep circumflex iliac
    Descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral
    Medial circumflex femoral
    Second perforating branch of lateral circumflex
  12. A ruptured aneurysm in the most proximal portion of the deep femoral artery would result in a hematoma located initially in the:
    Adductor canal.
    Femoral canal.
    Femoral triangle.
    Inguinal canal.
    Popliteal fossa.
  13. Following a penetrating injury to the left femoral triangle, a patient related that walking was virtually impossible because at every step the left knee collapsed into flexion. This history suggests paralysis of which muscle?
    Adductor magnus.
    Biceps femoris.
    Gluteus maximus.
    Quadriceps femoris.
    Sartorius.
  14. A patient with a tuberculous abscess (localized collection of pus) on the ilopsoas muscle in the femoral triangle presented impaired flexion of the thigh and extension of the leg. Which of the following nerves was likely involved?
    femoral
    inferior gluteal
    obturator
    sciatic
    superior gluteal
  15. An obturator hernia that compresses the obturator nerve in the obturator canal may affect the function of all of the following muscles EXCEPT:
    Adductor brevis
    Adductor longus
    Gracilis
    Obturator externus
    Pectineus

  16. Childhood immunizations are sometimes given via intramuscular injections into the quadriceps muscles of the anterior thigh. At the mid-thigh level, a needle passing into the space deep to the sartorius muscle might pierce the femoral vesels as they lie in the:
    Adductor canal
    Adductor hiatus
    Adductor triangle
    Femoral canal
    Femoral ring

  17. A female patient complains of pain in her groin region that increases with coughing. An MRI reveals a loop of ilium passing inferiorly, posterior to the superior pubic ramus. What type of hernia is this?
    obturator
    femoral
    direct inguinal
    indirect inguinal
    lumbar

  18. During a surgical procedure in which the lower abdominal wall has been opened, the retractor blades damaged a nerve lying between the iliacus and psoas major muscles. The patient has weakened hip flexion and an inability to extend the knee, as well as analgesia on the anterior thigh and medial leg. What nerve has been compressed?
    obturator
    femoral
    sciatic
    tibial
    common fibular

  19. Which of the following is NOT located within the adductor canal?
    Saphenous nerve
    Femoral artery
    Nerve to vastus medialis
    Femoral vein
    Deep femoral artery

  20. Inability to extend the knee and loss of cutaneous sensation over the anterior surface of the thigh would indicate a lesion or compression of the:
    Superior gluteal nerve
    Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve
    Sciatic nerve
    Femoral nerve
    Obturator nerve

  21. Which statement is true?
    The femoral artery lies medial to the femoral vein
    The femoral vein lies medial to the femoral artery
    The external iliac veins join to form the inferior vena cava
    The inferior vena cava can not be imaged radiographically
    A and C

  22. Blood flow around an occlusion of the femoral (superficial femoral) artery at the apex of the femoral triangle could be provided by:
    Anterior tibial recurrent
    Descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral
    Descending genicular
    Medial circumflex femoral
    Perforating branches of the deep femoral

  23. After suffering a penetrating injury in the left femoral triangle, a patient was unable to walk normally because her left knee collapsed into flexion upon weight bearing. The nerve to which muscle was damaged?
    Adductor magnus
    Biceps femoris
    Gluteus maximus
    Gluteus medius
    Quadriceps femoris

  24. "Scissor gait" is a condition in which one limb crosses in front of the other during stepping as a result of powerful hip adduction caused by continuous, unwanted nerve activity. What is the nerve involved in this condition?
    Femoral
    Inferior gluteal
    Obturator
    Tibial

  25. In the middle third of the thigh, the superficial and deep femoral arteries are separated by:
    Adductor longus
    Adductor magnus
    Gracilis
    Pectineus
    Vastus medialis

  26. Fracture of the femoral neck may lead to avascular necrosis of the femoral head due to the interruption of which artery?
    First perforating branch of the deep femoral
    Inferior epigastric
    Internal pudendal
    Lateral circumflex femoral
    Medial circumflex femoral