Pudendal canal

Pudendal Canal

The Pudendal Canal (also known as Alcock's Canal) is a canal in the pelvis in which the internal pudendal artery, internal pudendal veins, and the pudendal nerve pass.

Etymology

The term "pudendal" comes from the Latin word "pudendum", which means "external genitalia". The canal is named after Benjamin Alcock, an Irish anatomist who first described it in 1836.

Anatomy

The pudendal canal is a space that is located in the fascia of the obturator internus muscle. It begins at the pelvic surface of the ischial spine and ends in the perineum. The canal contains the pudendal nerve and the internal pudendal vessels.

Function

The pudendal canal allows for the passage of the pudendal nerve and the internal pudendal vessels. These structures provide blood supply and sensory innervation to the perineal region and the external genitalia.

Clinical Significance

The pudendal canal is of clinical significance as it can be involved in a condition known as pudendal nerve entrapment. This condition can cause chronic pain in the pelvic region, sexual dysfunction, and urinary and fecal incontinence.

Related Terms

• Pudendal nerve
• Internal pudendal artery
• Internal pudendal veins
• Pelvis
• Perineum
• Obturator internus muscle
• Ischial spine

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