Revisiting the genital and femoral branches of the genitofemoral nerve: Suggestion for a more accurate terminology

INTRODUCTION

The genitofemoral nerve is a branch of the lumbar plexus originating from the ventral rami of the first and second lumbar spinal nerves. During routine dissections of this nerve, we have occasionally observed that the genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve gave rise to the femoral branch, and the femoral branch of the genitofemoral nerve gave rise to the genital branch. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the aforementioned distributions of the genitofemoral nerve in a large number of cadaveric specimens.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty‐four sides from fourteen fresh‐frozen cadavers derived from nine males and five females were used in this study. For proximal branches of the genitofemoral nerve i.e. as they first arise from the genitofemoral nerve, the terms "medial branch" and "lateral branch" were used. For the final distribution, the terms "genital branch" and "femoral branch" were used.

RESULTS

On eight sides (33.3%) with nine branches, one or two branch(s) from either the medial or lateral branch became coursed as the femoral or genital branches (five became femoral and four became genital branches).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed that the distribution of the genitofemoral nerve is more complicated than previously described. The "medial branch" and "lateral branch" that we have used in the present study for describing the proximal branches of the genitofemoral nerve are more practical terms to describe the genitofemoral nerve.

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