An Ode to the Thigh

An ode to the thigh 15th October 2024 I dissected the thigh today. Unexpectedly, it was my favourite dissection so far in medical school. Beautiful, intricately structured layers. The fascia here is not disorganised like it is in other areas of the body; it is a cohesive sheath which blankets and envelops the underlying muscle, save for a small, palpable port-hole through which emerges the singular great saphenous vein, running down to the foot in an unbroken fashion, its route traceable as if following the path of a wire behind a table. This remarkable arrangement earns it the name fascia lata, or the “great fascia”. From the base of the saphenous opening you cut a clean line through the fascia down to the knee. The fascia splits open, but clings tightly to its underlying structures. This close association is a remnant of its function in life: it restricts the external expansion of the lower limb muscles, forcing the pressure of their contractions to be directed inwards, thus massa ... Read full article.