The femoral triangle is a pyramid-shaped space in the upper thigh formed by muscles and the inguinal ligament. It contains the femoral nerve, artery and vein. These structures pass from the abdomen into the thigh through the femoral triangle under the inguinal ligament. The adductor canal, also known as Hunter's canal, is a tunnel through the thigh containing the femoral artery and vein along with other structures as they travel to the back of the knee. The adductor canal bordered by muscles and its contents can be clinically relevant for nerve blocks and compression syndromes.

1. FEMORAL TRIANGLE
RAMESH HARISHMA

2. FEMORAL TRIANGLE
pyramid shaped depression
formed by :
muscles in the proximal region of the thigh and
inguinal ligament
 major blood vessels
 nerve of the limb
enter into the thigh from the abdomen by passing
under the inguinal ligament and into the femoral
triangle

3. Base
medial border of
adductor longus muscle
Medial
border
medial border of
sartorius muscle
Lateral
margin
lateral
compartment of
thigh
medial
compartment
of thigh

4. FLOOR OF FEMORAL TRIANGLE
mediallateral

5. apex of the triangle :
 points inferiorly and is
continuous with facial canal
( adductor canal )
 which descend medially
down the thigh
 and posteriorly through an
aperture in the lower end of
one of the largest of the
adductor muscle in the thigh
( the adductor magnus
muscle )
 to open into the popliteal
fossa.

6. abdomen
lower limb
 the femoral
nerve
 artery and
vein and
 lymphatics
pass in the
femoral
triangle
under the
inguinal
ligament

7. the femoral aretery and
vein pass inferiorly
through the adductor
canal and become the
popliteal vessels
behind the knee where
they meet and are
distributed with
branches of the sciatic
nerve, which descends
through the posterior
thigh from the gluteal
region.

8. The femoral artery
can be palpated in the
femoral triangle just
inferior to the inguinal
ligament and midway
between the anterior
superior iliac spine
and pubic symphysis.

9. HUNTER’S CANAL
• The adductor canal (Hunter’s canal, subsartorial canal) is a
narrow conical tunnel located in the thigh.
• It is 15cm long, extending from the apex of the femoral triangle
to the adductor hiatus of the adductor magnus.
• The canal serves as a passageway from structures moving
between the anterior thigh and posterior leg.

10. BORDERS
The adductor canal is bordered
by muscular structures:
Anterior: Sartorius.
Lateral: Vastus medialis.
Posterior: Adductor longus
and adductor magnus.
Apex: is marked by the
adductor hiatus – a gap
between the adductor and
hamstring attachments of the
adductor magnus.

11. CONTENTS
1. the femoral artery
2. femoral vein
3. nerve to the vastus medialis
4. the saphenous nerve (the largest cutaneous branch of the femoral nerve).
As the femoral artery and vein exit the canal, they become the popliteal artery and
vein respectively.

12. CLINICAL RELEVANCE – ADDUCTOR CANAL
BLOCK
• In the adductor canal block, local anaesthetic is administered in the
adductor canal to block the saphenous nerve in isolation, or together with
the nerve to the vastus medialis. The block can be used to provide
sensory anaesthesia for procedures involving the distal thigh and femur,
knee and lower leg on the medial side. The sartorius and femoral artery
are used as anatomical landmarks to locate the saphenous nerve.

13. CLINICAL RELEVANCE – ADDUCTOR CANAL
COMPRESSION SYNDROME
• Adductor canal compression syndrome describes entrapment of the
neurovascular bundle within the adductor canal. A rare condition, it is
usually caused by hypertrophy of adjacent muscles such as vastus
medialis. It is most common in young males, who may present with
claudication symptoms due to femoral artery occlusion (more common) or
neurological symptoms due to entrapment of the saphenous nerve.

15. FEMORAL SHEATH
• in the femoral triangle, the femoral artery and vein and the associated
lymphatics vessels are surrounded by a funnel shaped sleeve of fascia -
the femoral sheath
• the sheath is continuous superiorly with the transversalis fascia of the
abdomen and merges inferiorly with connective tissue associated with the
vessels.
• each of the three structures surrounded by the sheath is contained within
a seperate fascial compartment within the sheath.

16. • the most medial part compartment ( the femoral canal )
contains the lymphatics vessels and is conical in shape. the
opening of the canal superiorly is potentially a weak point in
lower abdomen and is the site for femoral hernias.
• the femoral nerve is lateral to and not contained within the
femoral sheath.