9: Nerves And Arteries Of The Gluteal Region

Question 1

Four major cutaneous nerves of the gluteal region

Answer 1

1. Posterior femoral cutaneous
2. Superior cluneal
3. Middle cluneal
4. Inferior cluneal

Question 2

Which nerve supplies more skin than any other cutaneous nerve?

Answer 2

Posterior femoral cutaneous N

Question 3

What is the posterior femoral cutaneous N made of?

Answer 3

Anterior and posterior rami from sacral plexus

Question 4

What rami do superior, middle, and inferior cluneal N’s originate from?

Answer 4

Superior cluneal: L1-3 dorsal rami
Middle cluneal: S1-3 dorsal rami
Inferior: S1-3 ventral rami

Question 5

What do superior and middle cluneal N’s supply?

Answer 5

Superior 2/3 of gluteal region, sacrum

Question 6

Inferior cluneal N is a branch from what nerve?

Answer 6

Posterior femoral cutaneous

Question 7

Inferior cluneal N supplies?

Answer 7

Inferior 1/3 of gluteal region

Question 8

Two things that all deep nerves of the gluteal region have in common

Answer 8

1. Related to lumbosacral plexus

2. Leave pelvis via greater sciatic foramen

Question 9

Six deep nerves of the gluteal region

Answer 9

1. Superior gluteal N
2. Inferior gluteal N
3. Sciatic N
4. Pudendal N
5. Nerve to quadratus femoris/inferior gemellus
6. Nerve to Obturator internus/superior gemellus

Question 10

How the superior gluteal N leaves the pelvis vs the inferior gluteal N

Answer 10

Superior gluteal N: leaves superior to piriformis with superior gluteal A
Inferior gluteal N: leaves inferior to piriformis with inferior gluteal A

Question 11

Superior gluteal N supplies?

Answer 11

Gluteus medius, minimus, tensor fascia lata

Question 12

Inferior gluteal N supplies?

Answer 12

Gluteus maximus

Question 13

Largest nerve in the body

Answer 13

Sciatic N

Question 14

How does the sciatic N leave the pelvis

Answer 14

Inferior to piriformis

Question 15

Where does sciatic N divide into tibial N and common fibular N?

Answer 15

About halfway down the thigh

Question 16

What gluteal structures does the sciatic N supply?

Answer 16

None

Question 17

Pudendal N supplies?

Answer 17

Pelvic and perineal structures

Question 18

What is the most medial structure leaving the pelvis through the greater sciatic foramen?

Answer 18

Pudendal N

Question 19

Where to do intragluteal injections to avoid sciatic nerve and other gluteal vessels?

Answer 19

Superolateral part of the buttocks

Question 20

Three Artery branches from the internal iliac that supply the gluteal region

Answer 20

Superior gluteal A, inferior gluteal A, internal pudendalA

Question 21

Largest internal iliac A branch

Answer 21

Superior gluteal A

Question 22

Superficial vs deep branch of superior gluteal A - what they supply

Answer 22

Superficial branch: gluteus maximus

Deep branch: gluteus medius, minimus, tensor fascia lata

Question 23

Three things supplied by inferior gluteal A

Answer 23

1. Gluteus Maximus
2. Small lateral rotators
3. Superior hamstrings

Question 24

Four small lateral rotators and their nerve pairing

Answer 24

Quadratus femoris + inferior gemellus

Obturator internus + superior gemellus

Question 25

Four parts to the cruciate anastomosis of the thigh

Answer 25

1. Inferior gluteal A
2. Transverse branch of medial circumflex femoral A
3. Transverse branch of lateral circumflex femoral A
4. First perforating A

Question 26

Cruciate anastomosis of the thigh: function

Answer 26

Provides blood to leg if femoral A is occluded/severed

Question 27

What does the internal pudendal A supply

Answer 27

Perineal muscles, external genitalia (no gluteal structures)