8.1.4
Obturator canal – Canalis obturatorius
The obturator canal is formed in the area of the obturator groove where the obturator foramen is not fully covered by the obturator membrane. The obturator nerve and vessels pass through this canal.
Greater fossa of Scarpa is an obsolete term for the femoral triangle. Lesser fossa of Scarpa is an obsolete term for the iliopectineal fossa The sciatic nerve can be found in the posterior compartment of the thigh in a groove between the biceps femoris and the semimenbranosus and semitendinosus.
• 1 Obturator canal Content: • 1.1 Obturator nerve • 1.2 Obturatory artery and veins 1 1.1 1.2
Right half of the pelvis, anterior view
Topography of the thigh – Regio femoris
8.2
Topography
Muscle fasciae divide the thigh into three osteofascial spaces – anterior, posterior and medial compartment.
• 1 Anterior compartment of thigh (compartimentum femoris anterius)
– anterior group of muscles 1.1 Femoral nerve – branching in the iliopectineal fossa 1.1.1 Saphenous nerve – terminal branch of the femoral nerve continues with the femoral artery and vein into the adductor canal and enters the subcutaneous tissue through the vasto-adductor membrane 1.2 Femoral artery – it gives most of its branches within the iliopectineal fossa and then continues into the adductor canal and further more into the popliteal fossa through the adductor hiatus 1.2.1 Profunda femoris artery (deep artery of thigh) – runs between the muscles of the medial thigh 1.3 Femoral vein – it originates from the popliteal vein in the adductor hiatus, it passes through the adductor canal and it merges with the profunda femoris vein in the iliopectineal fossa, then continues as the common femoral vein – afterwards, it receives the great saphenous vein 1.3.1 Great saphenous vein – runs in the subcutaneous tissue on the medial side of the thigh 2 Posterior compartment of thigh (compartimentum femoris posterius) – posterior group of muscles 2.1 Sciatic nerve – courses in between the muscles as low as the popliteal fossa in which it usually bifurcates 2.2 Posterior cutaneous nerve of thigh 1.3.1 – runs in the subcutaneous tissue (in the distal part it runs together 1 with the cranial extension 1.1.1 of the small saphenous vein) 1.2 3 Medial compartment of thigh 1.3 (compartimentum femoris mediale) 1.2.1 – medial group of muscles 3.1 Obturator nerve, 2.1 artery and veins – supply the proximal part of the medial side 2 of the thigh
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A long area filled with loose connective tissue spreads from the cranial base through the mediastinum and retroperitoneal space to the posterior compartment of the thigh and terminates in the popliteal fossa. The adductor canal is covered by the belly of the sartorius, therefore its obsolete term is the subsartorial canal. The perforating vein of adductor canal /perforator of Dodd (vena perforans canalis adductorii) pierces through the fascia into the adductor canal. It is a venous perforator, connecting the superficial great saphenous vein and deep profunda femoris vein. The lymph node of Cloquet-Rosenmüller (nodus lymphoideus inguinalis profundus proximalis) is the most proximal node located within the vascular space. Mnemonic: mediolateral position of structures in the vascular space: CLOVAN: CLOquet-Rosenmuller lymph node, Vena femoralis communis, Arteria femoralis, Nervus genitofemoralis (its ramus femoralis).
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2.2
Transverse section of the right thigh, distal view
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Clinical notes The popliteal artery is an elastic vessel therefore and it is one of the most common aneurysm locations. After its exit of the vascular space the femoral artery is located closely under the skin, subcutaneous adipose tissue and fascia. Therefore it can be used for diagnostic as well as curative catheterisation.