Overview
A fascial canal extending from the apex of the femoral triangle to the
adductor hiatus. Its other names include Hunter’s canal, or the subsartorial
canal. The adductor canal is approximately 15cm long.
Gross Anatomy
Boundries:
Anterolateral = vastus
medialis
Posteromedial =
adductor longus and adductor magnus
Anteromedial (roof) =
subsartorial fascia
Contents:
Femoral artery
Femoral vein
Saphenous nerve
Nerve to vastus
medialis
Adductor hiatus:
Aperture in the lower
end of adductor magnus muscle
As the femoral artery
exits the adductor canal via the adductor hiatus, it becomes the popliteal
artery, which runs through the popliteal fossa.
Clinical Anatomy
Adductor
canal block
Use of local anaesthetic to block the saphenous nerve only using
its location in the adductor canal.
For procedures to the distal thigh, knee and medial side of leg
A pure sensory block
Can be combined with a sciatic block to provide a complete sensory
block to the distal thigh, knee, leg and foot.
Adductor canal compression syndrome
Rare, but most common in young men
Compression of the neurovascular bundle within the adductor canal
Causes = hypertrophy of adjacent muscles, abnormal
musculotendinous band
Symptoms and signs often appear during exercise and include: calf
claudication, paraesthesia, oedema, absent pedal/popliteal pulses, pain