Human Gross Anatomy Review Questions - Lower Limb and Thorax

Recommended Resources: Hollinshead and Rosse, lecture notes, and laboratory observation

Human Gross Anatomy at The Pennsylvania State University: College of Medicine

The Structural Basis of Medical Practice
This site has been accessed times since August 19, 1997
(Updated August 30, 2002)
  1. Discuss the anatomy of the popliteal fossa. Include a statement of the boundaries (6 in number) and anatomical relations of each boundary. Discuss structures entering and leaving the popliteal fossa. Include the relations of these structures both within the fossa and at the boundaries of the fossa.
  2. Compare the distribution of the superior gluteal artery to the distribution of the superior gluteal nerve.
  3. What structures arise from the dorsal venous arch? What are their relations to the malleoli?
  4. What is the arterial supply to the sciatic nerve? Consider superior, intermediate, and inferior.
  5. What is the arterial supply to the lateral compartment of the leg? Consider superior, intermediate, and inferior regions. Discuss the parent vessels and fascial barriers that are involved.
  6. What is the vascular supply to the hamstrings. Discuss the parent vessels, key relations, and fascial barriers that are involved.
  7. What nerve distributions contribute to flexion of the knee? Mention key muscles for each distribution. What is the action of these muscles at the hip?
  8. Discuss the anatomy of Trandelenberg's gate. Include possible causes for this particularly nerve injury. Consider origins and insertions and the mechanics of compensation (explain the appearance of the gait).
  9. Discuss the "screw home" mechanism of the hip joint. When is the hip joint maximally stable? How does this relate to the line of gravity at the hip?
  10. What branch of the dorsalis pedis artery contributes blood supply to the plantar aspect of the foot? Explain the relations of this arterial branch.
  11. What is the significance of the infrapatellar synovial fold in understanding that a structure (anterior cruciate ligament) can be both intracapsular and extrasynovial?
  12. Discuss the relations of the superior free edge of the interosseous membrane.
  13. A stab wound penetrates straight into the right side of the thorax in the mid-axillary line at the 8th intercostal space. What are the facial layers and spaces are penetrated? Limit your answer to structures of the thorax.
  14. A stab wound penetrates straight into the right side of the thorax in the mid-axillary line at the 4th intercostal space. What facial layers and spaces are penetrated? Consider that the wound penetrates into a ventrical of the heart.
  15. How is the pulmonary ligament similar to the venous mesocardium? Consider function and anatomy.
  16. The cardiac cycle may show disrupted timing of atrial and ventricle contractions. What regions may be damaged? What is the typical blood supply to each of these regions? 5 pt
  17. A fatal condition results when the cusps of the tricuspid valve evert into the atrium. Discuss the relevant anatomy.
  18. Discuss the course of the left vagus nerve though the thorax. Include key relations at several locations (e.g. mediastinal regions).
  19. What left lung impressions are most noticeably differ from the right? Is there any anatomical significance to the lingula?
  20. What are the relations as the femoral, deep femoral, medial femoral circumflex, and lateral femoral circumflex arteries leave the femoral triangle?
  21. Discuss the relations of the pes anserinus
  22. Discuss why flexion of the toes is more controlled than extension. Which digit has the most overall control and why?
  23. Discuss the support of the medial longitudinal arch. Please be systematic in your answer by working from the deepest structures outward.
  24. Explain the mechanism leading to pain of the left shoulder and medial arm during cardiac embarrassment.
  25. What structures traverse the lessor sciatic foramen? What are the regions that communicate by way of the lessor sciatic foramen?
  26. An injection into the upper medial quadrant of the gluteal region could cause both pelvic sag and foot drop. Explain.
  27. The thorax is to the pleural cavity as the capsule of the knee joint is to the _________.
  28. Discuss the contribution (if any) of each compartment of the thigh to flexion of the knee.
  29. What muscle(s) would be involved in flexion of the knee when the hip is extended?
  30. What is the primary source of blood to the posterior compartment of the thigh?
  31. How would you assess damage to the common peroneal nerve and its branches?
  32. Does a strong pulse of the dorsalis pedis artery guarantee that the anterior compartment of the leg is receiving an adequate blood supply? Explain your answer. (hint: no it doesn't)
  33. Discuss the adductor canal and hiatus. What structures pass through each?
  34. What is the significance of the infrapatellar synovial fold in understanding that a structure (anterior cruciate ligament) can be both intracapsular and extrasynovial?
  35. Discuss the relations of the superior free edge of the interosseous membrane.
  36. Contrast the course of the blood supply and the nerve supply to the anterior compartment of the leg.
  37. Discuss the muscles and nerves that contribute to movement at the hip.
  38. Discuss the relations of the fibular collateral ligament of the knee.
  39. A stab wound penetrates straight into the right side of the thorax in the mid-axillary line at the 8th intercostal space. What facial layers and spaces are penetrated? Limit your answer to structures of the thorax.
  40. Discuss stabilization of the heart within the middle mediastinum.
  41. What nerve contributes to pain sensation of both the diaphragm and the pericardium?
  42. Discuss the conduction system of the heart.
  43. What specific vascular damage would lead to an irregular heart rate?
  44. Let me reword the question. Could a stab wound penetrating into the thoracic cavity from the anterior chest wall do so without creating pneumothorax? If so, exactly where might this wound occur?  Is there clinical significance to this?
  45. What structures lie immediately to the left of the arch of the azygos vein?
  46. Contrast the relations (6 directions) of the pulmonary ligaments for the left and right lung.
  47. What bony landmark would be useful to identify the terminal branching of the internal thoracic artery? What are the distributions of these terminal branches?
  48. What relation could you rely upon to unequivocably identify the internal intercostal muscle from a posterior view of the anterior chest wall?
  49. What relations could you rely upon to unequivocalbly ID the transversus thoracis from an anterior view?
  50. What nerve branches provide innervation to the skin overlying the xiphoid process? These nerves are derived from what spinal nerve. What is the vertebral projection of the xiphoid process?
  51. A dorsal expansion has insertions as follows. Which toes of which foot are involved?
  52. Discuss the arterial supply to the sciatic nerve. Discuss the arterial supply to the posterior compartment of the thigh.
  53. What are the relations of the anterior tibial a. as it leaves the posterior compartment of the leg to enter the anterior compartment of the leg?  What are the relations of the common peroneal nerve as it leaves the popliteal fossa? what are the relations of the deep peroneal nerve as it enters the lateral compartment and then the anterior compartment? Discussed named fascial barriers.  What is the relation of the deep peroneal nerve to the anterior tibial artery when both stuctures reside on the interosseous membrane?
  54. The tibial nerve is lesioned at the superior free edge of the soleus. Can the ankle still be flexed (plantar-flexed)? Explain?
  55. The tibial portion of the sciatic nerve is lesioned within the middle third of the thigh. Can you still flex the knee using muscles of the posterior compartment on the thigh?  The tibial portion of the sciatic nerve is lesioned in the gluteal region. Can you still flex the knee using muscles of the posterior compartment?  The tibial and peroneal portions of the sciatic nerve are lesioned in the distal third of the thigh. Can you still flex the knee using muscles of the posterior compartment of thigh?  The tibial portion of the sciatic nerve is lesioned in the gluteal region and the peroneal portion is lesioned in the lower third of the thigh. Can you still flex at the knee using muscles of the posterior compartment of the thigh?  The tibial and peroneal portions of the sciatic nerve are lesioned in the gluteal region. Can the knee still be flexed by any muscle regardless of compartment?
  56. What arterial branches course distally (anterior) from the plantar arch? What are the relations of these arteries.  What arterial branches course proximal (posterior) from the plantar arch.  What are the relations of these arteries?  What arterial branches course superior (toward dorsum of foot)?  What are the relations of these arteries?
  57. Where might you find two layers of serous parietal pleura in contact with each other?
  58. Consider that some unfortunate person steps on a nail. The nail penetrates straight into the sole of the foot. Ultimately the spring ligament is pierced and the penetration is arrested. What structures (fascia, muscles, neurovascular, bone) were possibly damaged. What finally stopped the penetration?
  59. In accord with the "bridge" analogy, can you think of a structure that participates as a staple for the medial longitudinal arch, a tie-beam for the transverse arch, and a suspension for the lateral longitudinal arch? Explain.
  60. Discuss the boundaries of the visceral and parietal pleura. Provide approximate vertebral levels in defining the boundaries.
  61. Follow the course of the esophagus in the thoracic cavity. Identify 4 areas of constrictions of the esophagus in the thorax.
  62. Answer the following.
  63. What are the functions of the popliteus muscle?
  64. Answer the following.
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