The thenar compartment is the fascial compartment at the base of the thumb, forming the thenar eminence. It contains abductor pollicis brevis, flexor pollicis brevis and opponens pollicis, mostly supplied by the recurrent branch of the median nerve.
| Location | Base of the thumb on the palm. |
|---|---|
| Boundaries |
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| Contents |
Holds the thumb muscles that make opposition and precision grip possible.
Wasting of the thenar compartment is a late sign of carpal tunnel syndrome. Hand compartment syndrome may involve this compartment after crush, high-pressure injection or burns, and it is released through a radial incision. It should not be confused with the thenar space, a deeper potential space for infection.
Loss of bulk of the thenar muscles from long-standing median nerve compression, causing weak thumb abduction and opposition.
Raised pressure in the hand compartments after crush injury or infiltration, causing tense swelling and pain on passive stretch.
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