| Genitofemoral nerve | |
|---|---|
 Plan oflumbar plexus. (Genitofemoral nerve visible at upper left.) | |
 The lumbar plexus and its branches. (Genitofemoral nerve visible at upper left.) | |
| Details | |
| From | Lumbar plexus |
| To | Lumboinguinal,genital branch |
| Innervates | Cremaster muscle Anterior scrotum in males Mons pubis in females |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | nervus genitofemoralis nervus genitalifemoralis |
| TA98 | A14.2.07.008 |
| TA2 | 6529 |
| FMA | 16484 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
Thegenitofemoral nerve is amixed branch of thelumbar plexus derived fromanterior rami ofL1-L2. It splits agenital branch and afemoral branch. It provides sensory innervation to the upper anterior thigh, as well as the skin of the anteriorscrotum in males andmons pubis in females. It also provides motor innervation to thecremaster muscle (via its genital branch).
The genitofemoral nerve is a branch of thelumbar plexus.[1] It is derived from theanterior rami oflumbar (spinal) nerves L1-L2. It coalesces within the substances of thepsoas major muscle.[2]
It passes downwards, pierces thepsoas major and emerges from its anterior surface. The nerve divides into two branches, thegenital branch and thelumboinguinal nerve also known as the femoral branch,[1] both of which then continue downwards and medially to the inguinal and femoral canal respectively.
The genital branch continues downward on the surface of the psoas major muscle, then enters theinguinal canal through thedeep inguinal ring.[1]
In men, the genital branch supplies the cremaster and scrotal skin. In women, the genital branch accompanies theround ligament of uterus, terminating in and innervating the skin of themons pubis andlabia majora.[1]
Thefemoral branch passes underneath theinguinal ligament, travelling through the lateral muscular compartment of thefemoral sheath where it innervates skin of the upper leg. Passing through thecribriform fascia of thesaphenous opening of the fascia lata of the thigh, it then supplies the skin of the upper, anterior and medial side of thigh.[1]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(November 2013) |
The genitofemoral nerve typically pierces and passes through thepsoas major muscle before bifurcating into agenital branch and afemoral branch midway along its anterior surface. In approximately 25% of cases, the genitofemoral nerve splits into these branchesbefore it enters thepsoas major orwithin the muscle belly ofpsoas major (with fibers of thepsoas major separating thegenital andfemoral branches). Usually this variation causes the split to be occur earlier in the genitofemoral nerve, at the upper rather than mid-portion of the anterior surface of thepsoas major.[3]
| This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(November 2013) |
The genitofemoral nerve is formed in the midsection of the psoas muscle by the union of branches from the anterior rami of L1 and L2 nerve roots
The genitofemoral nerve is responsible for both the sensory (femoral branch) and motor portions (genital branch) of thecremasteric reflex, which describes contraction of thecremasteric muscle when the skin of thesuperior medial part of the thigh is touched.[1]: 262
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
