The pudendal canal (also called Alcock's canal) is an anatomical structure in the pelvis through which the

internal pudendal artery The internal pudendal artery is one of the three pudendal arteries. It branches off the internal iliac artery, and provides blood to the external genitalia. Structure The internal pudendal artery is the terminal branch of the anterior trunk of t ...

internal pudendal veins The internal pudendal veins (internal pudic veins) are a set of veins in the pelvis. They are the venae comitantes of the internal pudendal artery. Internal pudendal veins are enclosed by pudendal canal, with internal pudendal artery and pudendal ...

, and the

pudendal nerve The pudendal nerve is the main nerve of the perineum. It carries sensation from the external genitalia of both sexes and the skin around the anus and perineum, as well as the motor supply to various pelvic muscles, including the male or fem ...

pass.

Structure

The pudendal canal is formed by the fascia of the

obturator internus The internal obturator muscle or obturator internus muscle originates on the medial surface of the obturator membrane, the ischium near the membrane, and the rim of the pubis. It exits the pelvic cavity through the lesser sciatic foramen. The i ...

muscle, or

obturator fascia The obturator fascia, or fascia of the internal obturator muscle, covers the pelvic surface of that muscle and is attached around the margin of its origin. Above, it is loosely connected to the back part of the arcuate line, and here it is conti ...

. It encloses the following: *

Internal pudendal artery The internal pudendal artery is one of the three pudendal arteries. It branches off the internal iliac artery, and provides blood to the external genitalia. Structure The internal pudendal artery is the terminal branch of the anterior trunk of t ...

. *

Internal pudendal veins The internal pudendal veins (internal pudic veins) are a set of veins in the pelvis. They are the venae comitantes of the internal pudendal artery. Internal pudendal veins are enclosed by pudendal canal, with internal pudendal artery and pudendal ...

. *

Pudendal nerve The pudendal nerve is the main nerve of the perineum. It carries sensation from the external genitalia of both sexes and the skin around the anus and perineum, as well as the motor supply to various pelvic muscles, including the male or fem ...

. These vessels and nerve cross the pelvic surface of the

Clinical significance

Pudendal nerve entrapment Pudendal nerve entrapment (PNE), also known as Alcock canal syndrome, is an uncommon source of chronic pain in which the pudendal nerve (located in the pelvis) is entrapped or compressed in Alcock's canal. There are several different types of P ...

can occur when the

is compressed while it passes through the pudendal canal.

History

The pudendal canal is also known as Alcock's canal, named after

Benjamin Alcock Benjamin Alcock (1801 – 1865) was an Irish anatomist. He is remembered for his description of the pudendal nerve sheath, which came to be known as Alcock's canal, later more usually called the pudendal canal, and an associated disease, Alcock ...

Additional images

Image:Gray542.png , The superficial branches of the internal pudendal artery. (Canal not labeled, but pudendal nerve and internal pudendal artery labeled at bottom right.)

References

External links