Lower limb
Genitofemoral nerve
Nervus genitofemoralis
- Origin
- Arises from the L1 and L2 spinal nerves of the lumbar plexus
- Insertion
- Pierces the anterior surface of psoas major, dividing above the inguinal ligament into genital branch (traverses inguinal canal) and femoral branch (enters vascular lacuna)
- Function
- Motor to the cremaster muscle (genital branch); sensory to the skin of the femoral triangle below the groin (femoral branch) and scrotum/labium majus
- Innervation
- Sensorimotor mediator of the cremasteric reflex
- Movement & chain
- Rides on the anterior belly of the psoas major muscle
- Palpation
- Cremasteric reflex elicited by stroking the superior-medial thigh, provoking elevation of the ipsilateral testis
- Clinical
- Absent cremasteric reflex is a cardinal diagnostic finding in acute testicular torsion; susceptible to tack/staple injury in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (Triangle of Pain)
- Segmental innervation
- L1, L2 spinal segments
- In clinical practice
- Emergency evaluation of acute scrotal pain; avoidance of surgical fixation devices in the Triangle of Pain during TEP/TAPP hernia repair
- Region in the model
- Lower limb