Clean and identify the sartorius and quadriceps femoris muscles. (G 6.21A;N 479;Gl 31.11)
- Start at the saphenous opening and use scissors to cut the anterior fascia lata to the level of the patella .
- Reflect the fascia lata (both medially and laterally) to expose the sartorius muscle. The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve will pass anterior to the sartorius muscle.
- Remove the lateral flap of the fascia lata, but leave the iliotibial tract intact. (G 6.26B;N 481;Gl 31.16) You will return to the iliotibial tract and the tensor fascia lata during the gluteal region dissection.
- Completely remove the medial flap of the fascia lata. Be careful and do not cut any of the medial compartment muscles.
- Use your fingers to free the sartorius from the underlying muscles. Be careful to avoid breaking the branches of the femoral nerve entering the sartorius.
- Identify and clean the rectus femoris muscle. Be careful of the femoral nerve branches entering this muscle.
- Make a transverse cut through the rectus femoris approximately 10 cm superior to the patella. Reflect the rectus femoris in the superior direction to expose the vasti muscles.
- Identify and clean the vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius and vastus medialis muscles. (G 6.21B;N 479;Gl 31.11)
