Critical sites of entrapment of the posterior division of the obturator nerve: anatomical considerations.

IN THE CURRENT ANATOMIC STUDY, SPECIAL ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE POSTERIOR DIVISION OF THE OBTURATOR NERVE TO SURROUNDING STRUCTURES: the obturator canal and the fibromuscular and vascular structures of the medial thigh region. These intimate relationships may, in certain conditions, constitute critical sites of entrapment of the posterior division of the obturator nerve and may present a diagnostic challenge to the manual practitioner. Knowledge of the potential sites of entrapment of the posterior division of the obturator nerve can aid in differential diagnosis of peripheral neuropathies, provide an anatomic basis for obturator nerve pathology, and guide effective patient management, including the application of modern diagnostic techniques and safe surgical procedures.