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Obturator Membrane Detail

membrana obturatoria detail

The obturator membrane is a strong fibrous sheet closing most of the obturator foramen, attached to the margins of the obturator foramen. The obturator canal (superolateral gap) transmits the obturator nerve and vessels.

Region: Pelvis & Hip

Biomechanics

Function & Actions

Closes the obturator foramen to prevent pelvic organ herniation, provides the origin for the obturator internus and externus muscles, and defines the obturator canal through which the obturator neurovascular bundle exits the pelvis.

Clinical Relevance

Clinical Notes

Obturator hernia (herniation through the obturator canal, not through the membrane) is a rare but deadly hernia occurring in elderly thin women, presenting with the Howship-Romberg sign (medial thigh pain on hip extension from obturator nerve compression). The obturator membrane is identified in pelvic floor surgery and during obturator nerve block.

Pathology

Common Injuries & Conditions

Obturator Hernia through Obturator Canal

Bowel herniation through the obturator canal (the membrane's gap) producing small bowel obstruction and the Howship-Romberg sign in elderly women, requiring emergency surgical reduction.

Obturator Membrane Origin in Hip Arthroplasty

The obturator membrane provides the muscular origin for obturator internus, identified during posterior hip approaches when defining the short external rotator complex.