The iliopectineal bursa or the iliopsoas bursa is a large

synovial bursa Synovial () may refer to: * Synovial fluid * Synovial joint * Synovial membrane The synovial membrane (also known as the synovial stratum, synovium or stratum synoviale) is a specialized connective tissue that lines the inner surface of capsule ...

that separates the external surface of the hip joint capsule from the normally just the tendon of the

iliopsoas muscle The iliopsoas muscle (; from lat, ile, lit=groin and grc, ψόᾱ, psóā, muscles of the loins) refers to the joined psoas major and the iliacus muscles. The two muscles are separate in the abdomen, but usually merge in the thigh. They are us ...

. The most proximal of part the iliopectineal bursa lies on the

iliopubic eminence Medial to the anterior inferior iliac spine is a broad, shallow groove, over which the iliacus and psoas major muscles pass. This groove is bounded medially by an eminence, the iliopubic eminence (or iliopectineal eminence), which marks the point o ...

of the

superior pubic ramus In vertebrates, the pubic region ( la, pubis) is the most forward-facing (ventral and anterior) of the three main regions making up the coxal bone. The left and right pubic regions are each made up of three sections, a superior ramus, inferior r ...

. The iliopectineal bursa passes across the front of the capsule of the hip joint and extends distally downwards almost as far as to the lesser trochanter. The iliopectineal bursa frequently communicates by a circular aperture with the cavity of the

hip joint In vertebrate anatomy, hip (or "coxa"Latin ''coxa'' was used by Celsus in the sense "hip", but by Pliny the Elder in the sense "hip bone" (Diab, p 77) in medical terminology) refers to either an anatomical region or a joint. The hip region is ...

. In 13% of all cases the iliopectineal bursa is partly separated by a

septum In biology, a septum (Latin for ''something that encloses''; plural septa) is a wall, dividing a cavity or structure into smaller ones. A cavity or structure divided in this way may be referred to as septate. Examples Human anatomy * Interat ...

into two cavities. Here the tendon of the

psoas major muscle The psoas major ( or ; from grc, ψόᾱ, psóā, muscles of the loins) is a long fusiform muscle located in the lateral lumbar region between the vertebral column and the brim of the lesser pelvis. It joins the iliacus muscle to form the il ...

passes over the medial chamber and the tendon of the

iliacus muscle The iliacus is a flat, triangular muscle which fills the iliac fossa. It forms the lateral portion of iliopsoas, providing flexion of the thigh and lower limb at the acetabulofemoral joint. Structure The iliacus arises from the iliac foss ...

runs over the lateral chamber. Inflammation of the iliopectineal bursa is called iliopectineal bursitis or iliopsoas bursitis.

References

Further reading