Vastoadductor membrane
Membrana vastoadductoria
- Latin synonym: Septum intermusculare vastoadductorium
- Synonym: Vastoadductor intermuscular septum; Subsartorial fascia
- Related terms: Anteromedial intermuscular septum; Subsartorial fascia
Definition
The adductor canal (subsartorial, Hunter's canal) is an aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the thigh, extending from the apex of the femoral triangle to the opening in the adductor magnus, the adductor hiatus.
It courses between the anterior compartment of thigh and the medial compartment of thigh, and has the following boundaries:
- anteriorly and laterally - the vastus medialis.
- posteriorly - the adductor longus and the adductor magnus.
- roof and medially- the sartorius.
It is covered in by a strong aponeurosis, the anteromedial intermuscular septum (subsartorial fascia) 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.
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). It consists of three foramina: superior, anterior and inferior. 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 adductor hiatus) through the inferior space between the oblique and medial heads of adductor magnus.
