Adductor canal


The adductor 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.

Structure

It is an intermuscular cleft situated on the medial aspect of the middle third of the thigh on anterior compartment of thigh, and has the following boundaries:
It is covered in by a strong aponeurosis which extends from the vastus medialis, across the femoral vessels to the adductor longus and magnus.
The canal contains the subsartorial artery, subsartorial vein, and branches of the femoral nerve. 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 through the inferior space between the oblique and medial heads of adductor magnus.

History

The eponym 'Hunter’s canal' is named for John Hunter.

Additional Images