Which nerve provides cutaneous innervation to the skin over the root of the penis or clitoris and the upper medial thigh?

Which nerve provides cutaneous innervation to the skin over the root of the penis or clitoris and the upper medial thigh?

• A. Ilioinguinal nerve
• B. Genitofemoral nerve
• C. Obturator nerve
• D. Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve

Answer: (A)

Cutaneous innervation of the genital region together with the upper medial thigh is provided by the ilioinguinal nerve. This nerve comes from L1 and travels through the inguinal canal, giving sensory fibers to the skin at the root of the penis or clitoris and to the upper medial thigh. In males it also covers the anterior scrotum, and in females it covers the mons pubis and labia majora. The other nerves map to different skin regions (for example, the genitofemoral nerve mainly covers the anterior genital area with some involvement of the proximal thigh, the obturator nerve supplies most of the medial thigh, and the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve supplies the lateral thigh). So the ilioinguinal nerve best matches the described areas.

Cutaneous innervation of the genital region together with the upper medial thigh is provided by the ilioinguinal nerve. This nerve comes from L1 and travels through the inguinal canal, giving sensory fibers to the skin at the root of the penis or clitoris and to the upper medial thigh. In males it also covers the anterior scrotum, and in females it covers the mons pubis and labia majora. The other nerves map to different skin regions (for example, the genitofemoral nerve mainly covers the anterior genital area with some involvement of the proximal thigh, the obturator nerve supplies most of the medial thigh, and the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve supplies the lateral thigh). So the ilioinguinal nerve best matches the described areas.