Inclusive Anatomy
Structure:
The pudendal canal is a horizontal passageway located within the obturator fascia, which covers the obturator internus muscle and lines the lateral wall of the ischioanal fossa.[1] It serves as a conduit for several neurovascular structures, including the internal pudendal vessels, the pudendal nerve, and the nerve to the obturator internus muscle, after they leave the pelvis through the lesser sciatic notch.[1] Within the canal, these structures travel together until the pudendal nerve divides into three distal branches: the inferior rectal nerve; the perineal nerve; and the dorsal nerve of the penis or clitoris.[2]
Function:
The pudendal canal plays a vital role in the lateral wall of the ischioanal fossa, serving as a passageway for vessels and nerves that supply the perineum.[1]
Popular
Recipes
Pudendal nerve entrapment syndrome (pudendal neuralgia or Alcock canal syndrome) occurs when the pudendal nerve becomes compressed or irritated, leading to chronic pain or paresthesia in the pelvis or perineum.
Symptoms may include:
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Burning, tingling, or shooting pain
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Numbness or paresthesia
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Discomfort that impact activities of daily living.[2]
The first documented case of pudendal neuralgia was linked to pudendal nerve compression within the pudendal canal; known as Type III pudendal nerve entrapment syndrome.[3] However, this is only one cause, as Types I, II, and IV describe entrapment at other pelvic locations.[3]
Common causes of pudendal nerve entrapment include:
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Pelvice surgery or trauma
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Excessive cycling
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Childbirth[3]
References:
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Moore KL, Dalley AF, Agur AMR. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 6th ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2010.
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Possover M, Forman A. Voiding dysfunction associated with pudendal nerve entrapment. Curr Bladder Dysfunct Rep. 2012;7(4):281-285. doi:10.1007/s11884-012-0156-5
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Kaur J, Leslie SW, Singh P. Pudendal nerve entrapment syndrome. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024. Accessed October 20, 2024. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544272/
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