ABSTRACT
The femoral neurovascular bundle and the iliopsoas muscle pass under the inguinal ligament to supply the leg. The iliac fascia forms an iliopectineal arch that connects the inguinal ligament to the iliopubic or iliopectineal eminence and divides the space beneath the inguinal ligament (Figure 39.1). The lacuna vasorum or vascular tunnel lies medial to the arch. Through the lateral space of the lacuna muscularis runs the femoral nerve and the iliopsoas muscles. Relatively rigid, the lacuna muscularis represents a tunnel, the walls of which are the iliac bone, iliopsoas muscle, iliopectineal arch, and inguinal ligament. Described by Aichroth and Rowe-Jones in 1971,
the syndrome of the iliacus muscle, or the iliacus tunnel syndrome, occurs with femoral nerve compression.
