The cribriform fascia (also known as the fascia cribrosa, or Hesselbach's fascia) is the portion of the superficial layer of the deep fascia of leg which extends between the sartorius muscle,

adductor longus muscle In the human body, the adductor longus is a skeletal muscle located in the thigh. One of the adductor muscles of the hip, its main function is to adduct the thigh and it is innervated by the obturator nerve. It forms the medial wall of the ...

, and

inguinal ligament The inguinal ligament (), also known as Poupart's ligament or groin ligament, is a band running from the pubic tubercle to the anterior superior iliac spine. It forms the base of the inguinal canal through which an indirect inguinal hernia may ...

to form the anterior portion of the femoral canal. The cribriform fascia forms numerous openings to allow the passage of vessels and nerves, the most prominent of these being the saphenous opening (saphenous hiatus) (which gives passage to the

great saphenous vein The great saphenous vein (GSV; ) or long saphenous vein is a large, subcutaneous, superficial vein of the human leg, leg. It is the longest vein in the body, running along the length of the lower limb, returning blood from the foot, human leg, le ...

Anatomy

Structure

An inferior aponeurotic thickening of the cribriform fascia - the falciform margin of sphenous opening - forms the inferior margin of the sapnenous opening, embracing the arch of the great saphenous vein.

Clinical significance

The cribriform fascia has been proposed for use in preventing new vascularization when surgery is performed at the join between the

and the femoral vein. noted

Eponym

When the eponym is used, it is named for Franz Kaspar Hesselbach.F. K. Hesselbach. Anatomisch-chirurgische Abhandlung über den Urspurng der Leistenbrüche. Würzburg, Baumgärtner, 1806.

References

Lower limb anatomy Fascia {{musculoskeletal-stub