Human Anatomy, Part 1 - K. A. Diubenko, A. K. Kolomiitsev, Yu. B. Chaikovsky 2002

Special Part
Free part of the lower limb, pars libera membri inferioris
Femur

The Free part of the lower limb, pars libera membri inferioris, consists of three segments: the thigh (femur), whose Skeleton is formed by the femur; the leg (crus), whose skeleton is formed by the Tibia and Fibula; and the FOOT (pes), whose skeleton is formed by the tarsal, metatarsal, and phalangeal bones, ossa pedis.

The femur, femur [os femoris], is the largest long bone in the skeleton (Fig. 68A, B). It has a cylindrical body, corpus femoris, and two ends—proximal and distal. The body features three surfaces: anterior (facies anterior), medial (facies medialis), and lateral (facies lateralis). Between the medial and lateral surfaces runs the linea aspera of the femur (linea aspera). It divides into two Lips: the medial lip (labium mediale) and the lateral lip (labium laterale). The lateral lip continues into the gluteal tuberosity (tuberositas glutealis), while the medial lip continues into the pectineal line (linea pectinea). The proximal end of the bone features two trochanters: the greater trochanter (trochanter major) and the lesser trochanter (trochanter minor). From the apex of the greater trochanter along the anterior surface runs the intertrochanteric line (linea intertrochanterica), which transitions into the pectineal line (linea pectinea). On the posterior surface, near the lesser trochanter, runs the intertrochanteric crest (crista intertrochanterica). Superiorly lies the femoral neck (collum femoris), which terminates in a spherical HEAD (caput ossis femoris); upon it is the fovea of the femoral head (fovea capitis femoris). Between the neck and the longitudinal axis of the diaphysis lies an obtuse neck-shaft angle, the value of which normally ranges from 115 to 140°.

In elderly and senile individuals, fractures of the femoral neck occur in 30–40% of cases and require Surgical Treatment—fixation of the bone fragments using a special metal pin proposed by Ya. I. Kryzhanovsky¹.

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Fig. 68. Femur, os femoris (A – anterior view; B – posterior view) and Patella (C – anterior view; D – posterior view)

Two condyles extend from the distal end of the femur: the medial condyle (condylus medialis) and the lateral condyle (condylus lateralis). On the outer surface of the condyles are the lateral and medial epicondyles (epicondylus lateralis et medialis). The condyles are separated from each other by the intercondyloid fossa (fossa intercondylaris). Anteriorly, the surfaces of the condyles form the patellar surface (facies patellaris).

Ossification. The first ossification center appears in the diaphysis of the femur at the beginning of the 3rd month of intrauterine development, in the lower epiphysis at the 9th month, in the head at 1–2 years of life, in the greater trochanter at the 4th year, and in the lesser trochanter at 14–15 years.