title: A Morphometric Study of the Obturator Nerve around the Obturator Foramen.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obturator neuropathy is a rare condition. Many neurosurgeons are unfamiliar with the obturator nerve anatomy. The purpose of this study was to define obturator nerve landmarks around the obturator foramen.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen cadavers were studied bilaterally to measure the distances from the nerve root to relevant anatomical landmarks near the obturator nerve, including the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS), the pubic tubercle, the inguinal ligament, the femoral artery, and the adductor longus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The obturator nerve exits the obturator foramen and travels infero-medially between the adductors longus and brevis. The median distances from the obturator nerve exit zone (ONEZ) to the ASIS and pubic tubercle were 114 mm and 30 mm, respectively. The median horizontal and vertical distances between the pubic tubercle and the ONEZ were 17 mm and 27 mm, respectively. The shortest median distance from the ONEZ to the inguinal ligament was 19 mm. The median inguinal ligament lengths from the ASIS and the median pubic tubercle to the shortest point were 103 mm and 24 mm, respectively. The median obturator nerve lengths between the ONEZ and the adductor longus and femoral artery were 41 mm and 28 mm, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obturator nerve exits the foramen 17 mm and 27 mm on the horizontal and sagittal planes, respectively, from the pubic tubercle below the pectineus muscle. The shallowest area is approximately one-fifth medially from the inguinal ligament. This study will help improve the accuracy of obturator nerve surgeries to better establish therapeutic plans and decrease complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Soonchunhyang University Gumi Hospital, Gumi, Korea.
authors.forename: Se Yeong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Soonchunhyang University Gumi Hospital, Gumi, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Chil
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Soonchunhyang University Gumi Hospital, Gumi, Korea.
authors.forename: Hack Gun
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Soonchunhyang University Gumi Hospital, Gumi, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Sang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Soonchunhyang University Gumi Hospital, Gumi, Korea.
authors.forename: Juneyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Soonchunhyang University Gumi Hospital, Gumi, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Chan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hwang
keywords: Morphometric study; Obturator foramen; Obturator nerve