Adductor Canal: Anatomy And Function

Describe adductor canal OR subsartorial canal OR Hunter’s canal under following heads:

1. Adductor Canal Gross anatomy,

2. Adductor Canal Boundaries,

3. Adductor Canal Contents, and

4. Adductor Canal Applied anatomy.

1. Adductor Canal Gross anatomy: It is a musculoaponeurotic passage or tunnel present in the middle 1/3rd of thigh

Read And Learn More: Anatomy Notes And Important Question And Answers

A. Length: 6” or 15 cm.

1. Extent: It extends from the apex of the femoral to 5 osseo-aponeurotic openings of the adductor magnus, i.e. it begins 4” below the inguinal ligament and ends 4” above the adductor tubercle.
2. Location: It is situated on the middle 1/3rd of the medial side of the thigh.
3. Shape: It is lar in cross-section.

2. Adductor CanalBoundaries

1. Anterolateral wall is formed by vastus medialis.

2. Roof or medial wall is formed by

1. Strong fascia that extends across vastus medialis to adductor longus in the upper part and vastus medialis to adductor magnus in the lower part.

2. Sartorius’s muscle.

3. Subsartorial plexus which is formed by

1. Posterior branch of medial femoral cutaneous nerve.
2. The anterior division of obturator nerve.
3. Saphenous nerve

This plexus supplies Fascia lata, and Skin on the medial side of knee.

3. Floor: In the upper part, it is formed by the adductor longus muscle and in the lower part, it is formed by the adductor magnus muscle.

4. Apex is formed by meeting point of vastus medialis and adductor muscle on linea aspera of femur.

5. Function: It provides the passage for femoral vessels.

3. Adductor Canal Contents

1. Contents coursing through upper end to lower end.

1. Femoral artery: It lies anterior to the femoral vein in upper part and medial to the vein in the lower part.
2. Femoral vein, and
3. Saphenous nerve—longest cutaneous nerve of the body.

2. Other contents

1. Descending genicular artery (branch of femoral artery) and its branches into

1. Superficial branch saphenous artery: It crosses the femoral artery anteriorly from the lateral to the medial side.
2. Deep branch muscular artery which enters vastus medialis and joins the arterial anastomosis around the knee.

2. Anterior and posterior divisions of obturator nerve.

3. Nerve to vastus medialis: It lies lateral to the femoral artery.

4. Deep lymph vessels.

5. Vascular branch of the anterior division of the obturator nerve.

6. Genicular branch of the posterior division of obturator nerve.

The 3rd perforator which lies in the middle of the thigh is known as the Hunterian perforator. It connects the great saphenous vein to the femoral vein in the adductor canal or Hunter’s canal.

4. Adductor Canal Applied anatomy

Adductor canal is the site of ligation of femoral artery.

A tourniquet is applied against the linea aspera in adductor canal. It is to arrest bleeding of popliteal vessels in the following situations:

1. In rupture of an aneurysm of popliteal artery,
2. For the treatment of an aneurysm of the popliteal artery.
3. Below knee amputation surgery.

The surgical approach to the femoral artery in the adductor canal.

1. The incision is taken on the medial aspect of the lower thigh.
2. Sartorius is retracted medially.
3. Fascial roof of the canal is divided.

The saphenous nerve may be entrapped at the site where it pierces the roof of the adductor canal. This will cause pain and paraesthesia along the medial side of the knee and leg.