Which anatomical boundary forms the medial border of the femoral canal?

Explanation

## Anatomy of the Femoral Canal ### Boundaries of the Femoral Canal The femoral canal is the medial compartment of the femoral sheath, bounded by: | Boundary | Structure | |----------|----------| | **Medial** | Lacunar ligament (also called the pectineal ligament) | | **Lateral** | Femoral vein | | **Anterior** | Inguinal ligament | | **Posterior** | Pectineal fascia (Cooper's ligament) | **Key Point:** The lacunar ligament is a thickened medial extension of the inguinal ligament that attaches to the pectineal ligament on the superior pubic ramus. It forms the medial boundary of the femoral canal and is a critical landmark in femoral hernia anatomy. ### Clinical Significance **High-Yield:** Femoral hernias protrude through the femoral canal, bounded medially by the lacunar ligament. This narrow space makes femoral hernias prone to incarceration and strangulation. **Clinical Pearl:** The lacunar ligament can compress the hernia sac contents, explaining why femoral hernias have a higher risk of strangulation (~40%) compared to inguinal hernias (~10%). ### Mnemonic: **FLAP** for femoral canal boundaries - **F**emoral vein (lateral) - **L**acunar ligament (medial) - **A**nterior: inguinal ligament - **P**ectineal fascia (posterior)