Adductor canal

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Adductor canal
Gray550.png
The femoral artery. (Canal not labeled, but region visible at center right.)
Thigh cross section.svg
Cross-section through the middle of the thigh (the right thigh if seen from below)
Details
Identifiers
Latin canalis adductorius
TA98 A04.7.03.006
TA2 2611
FMA 58781
Anatomical terminology

The adductor canal (also known as the subsartorial canal or Hunter's canal) is an aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the thigh giving passage to parts of the femoral artery, vein, and nerve. [1] It extends from the apex of the femoral triangle to the adductor hiatus.

Contents

Structure

The adductor canal extends from the apex of the femoral triangle to the adductor hiatus. It is an intermuscular cleft situated on the medial aspect of the middle third of the anterior compartment of the thigh, and has the following boundaries:

It is covered by a strong aponeurosis which extends from the vastus medialis, across the femoral vessels to the adductor longus and magnus. Lying on the aponeurosis is the sartorius (tailor's) muscle.

Contents

The canal contains the femoral artery, femoral vein, and branches of the femoral nerve (specifically, the saphenous nerve, and the nerve to the vastus medialis). [2] [3] [4] The femoral artery with its vein and the saphenous nerve enter this canal through the superior foramen. Then, the saphenous nerve and artery and vein of genus descendens exit through the anterior foramen, piercing the vastoadductor intermuscular septum. Finally, the femoral artery and vein exit via the inferior foramen (usually called the hiatus) through the inferior space between the oblique and medial heads of adductor magnus. [5]

Clinical significance

The saphenous nerve may be compressed in the adductor canal. [6] The adductor canal may be accessed for a saphenous nerve block, often used to treat pain caused by this compression. [6]

History

The eponym "Hunter's canal" is named for John Hunter. [7] [8]

Additional images

References

PD-icon.svgThis article incorporates text in the public domain from page 627 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

  1. ↑ Migirov, Allan; Arbor, Tafline C.; Vilella, Renato C. (2025). "Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis: Adductor Canal (Subsartorial Canal, Hunter Canal)". StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  2. ↑ Amarnath C and Hemant Patel (2023). Comprehensive Textbook of Clinical Radiology - Volume III: Chest and Cardiovascular system. Elsevier Health Sciences. ISBN   9788131263617. Page 1072
  3. ↑ Sauerland, Eberhardt K.; Patrick W. Tank; Tank, Patrick W. (2005). Grant's dissector . Hagerstown, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p.  128. ISBN   0-7817-5484-4.
  4. ↑ Sambrook, Philip (2010-01-01), Sambrook, Philip; Schrieber, Leslie; Taylor, Thomas; Ellis, Andrew M. (eds.), "Bone Structure and Function in Normal and Disease States" , The Musculoskeletal System (Second Edition), Churchill Livingstone, pp. 61–76, doi:10.1016/b978-0-7020-3377-3.00005-6, ISBN   978-0-7020-3377-3 , retrieved 2021-02-18
  5. ↑ А.В. Николаев. (2007). Топографическая анатомия и оперативная хирургия. Москва: ГЭОТАР-Медиа (GEOTAR-Media). pp. 174–176. ISBN   978-5-9704-1207-7.
  6. 1 2 Zhang, Yi (2011-01-01), Lennard, Ted A.; Walkowski, Stevan; Singla, Aneesh K.; Vivian, David G. (eds.), "27 - Lower Extremity: Saphenous Nerve Block" , Pain Procedures in Clinical Practice (Third Edition), Saint Louis: Hanley & Belfus, pp. 267–270, doi:10.1016/b978-1-4160-3779-8.10027-2, ISBN   978-1-4160-3779-8 , retrieved 2021-02-18
  7. ↑ synd/105 at Whonamedit?
  8. ↑ "CHAPTER 15: THE THIGH AND KNEE". Archived from the original on 21 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
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