Femoral Head Flashcards

Examine the femoral head's spherical structure, articular cartilage, fovea capitis, ligament attachment, vascular supply, and clinical anatomy.

Card 1 of 26Question

What is the femoral head?

The rounded proximal articular portion of the femur that forms the ball of the hip joint.

In This Section

1. What is the femoral head?

The rounded proximal articular portion of the femur that forms the ball of the hip joint.

2. Which pelvic structure articulates with the femoral head?

The acetabulum of the hip bone.

3. What type of synovial joint is formed by the femoral head and acetabulum?

A ball-and-socket synovial joint.

4. What is the approximate shape of the femoral head?

Approximately two-thirds of a sphere.

5. In which direction does the femoral head face?

Medially, superiorly, and slightly anteriorly.

6. Which part of the femur connects the femoral head to the shaft?

The femoral neck.

7. What type of cartilage covers the articular surface of the femoral head?

Hyaline articular cartilage.

8. Which region of the femoral head is not covered by articular cartilage?

The fovea capitis.

9. What is the fovea capitis?

A small depression on the femoral head, located slightly inferior and posterior to its center.

10. Which ligament attaches to the fovea capitis?

The ligament of the head of the femur, also called the ligamentum teres.

11. Where does the ligament of the head of the femur attach on the acetabular side?

To the margins of the acetabular notch and the transverse acetabular ligament.

12. What is the principal mechanical role of the ligament of the femoral head?

It contributes to hip stability, particularly near the limits of joint movement.

13. Which artery provides most of the blood supply to the femoral head in adults?

The medial circumflex femoral artery.

14. Which vessels carry the principal arterial supply along the femoral neck toward the head?

The superior retinacular arteries, mainly arising from the deep branch of the medial circumflex femoral artery.

15. Where do the retinacular arteries travel?

Along the femoral neck beneath the synovial folds of the hip joint capsule.

16. Which artery may reach the femoral head through the ligamentum teres?

The acetabular branch of the obturator artery.

17. How important is the artery within the ligamentum teres to adult femoral head circulation?

It generally provides a small, variable contribution and cannot reliably compensate for retinacular artery injury.

18. Which artery provides an additional contribution to femoral head blood supply?

The lateral circumflex femoral artery, mainly through contributions to the anterior femoral neck circulation.

19. What is the principal anatomical reason for avascular necrosis after a displaced femoral neck fracture?

Disruption of the retinacular vessels supplying the femoral head.

20. What is the epiphyseal ossification center of the femoral head?

A secondary ossification center that normally appears during infancy.

21. Which growth plate separates the developing femoral head from the femoral neck?

The proximal femoral capital physis.

22. What is slipped capital femoral epiphysis?

Displacement of the femoral head epiphysis relative to the femoral neck through the proximal femoral growth plate.

23. What is Legg-Calve-Perthes disease?

Osteonecrosis of the developing femoral head epiphysis in children.

24. What is the main weight-bearing region of the femoral head?

The superior articular surface, which transmits forces to the acetabular lunate surface.

25. What is the function of the acetabular labrum in relation to the femoral head?

It deepens the acetabular socket and helps maintain a stabilizing seal around the femoral head.

26. How does the femoral head contribute to hip joint movement?

Its spherical articular surface permits flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and rotation within the acetabulum.