What is Retinaculum Flexorum?

What is Retinaculum Flexorum?

Flexor retinaculum is a strong fibrous band which bridges the anterior concavity of the carpal bones thus converts it into a tunnel, the carpal tunnel.

What passes through flexor retinaculum?

The flexor retinaculum is the roof of the carpal tunnel, through which the median nerve and tendons of muscles which flex the hand pass.

Which tendons pass through the carpal tunnel?

The carpal tunnel contains the median nerve, the four tendons of the flexor digitorum profundus, the four tendons of the flexor digitorum superficialis, and the flexor pollicis longus (FPL) tendon (Figure 42.1). Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the result of median nerve compression within the carpal tunnel.

What is retinaculum made of?

Structurally, the retinaculum consists of three layers. The deepest layer, the gliding layer, consists of hyaluronic acid-secreting cells. The thick middle layer consists of interspersed elastin fibers, collagen bundles, and fibroblasts.

Is flexor retinaculum same as carpal tunnel?

The flexor retinaculum is a fibrous connective tissue band that forms the anterior roof of the carpal tunnel. Many experts consider the flexor retinaculum synonymous with the transverse carpal ligament and the annular ligament; for this discussion, they will be considered the same structure.

What is the purpose of the retinaculum?

A retinaculum (plural retinacula) is a band of thickened deep fascia around tendons that holds them in place. It is not part of any muscle. Its function is mostly to stabilize a tendon. The term retinaculum is New Latin, derived from the Latin verb retinere (to retain).

What is the most common carpal bone to fracture?

Scaphoid fractures are by far the most common of the carpal fractures, and account for 10 percent of all hand fractures and about 55 percent of all carpal fractures [1,4-8].

What muscles are affected in carpal tunnel syndrome?

Common Symptoms The median nerve in the carpal tunnel supplies sensation to the thumb, index, middle finger and half of the ring finger (digits one through four) and provides motion to four muscles of the hand (the first and second lumbricals, opponens pollicis, abductor pollicis brevis and flexor pollicis brevis).

How many tendons pass deep to the flexor retinaculum?

four tendons
Situated deep to the flexor retinaculum are the four tendons of the flexor digitorum superficialis.

What is retinaculum ankle?

The retinacula of the ankle are distinct structures defined as regions of localized thickening of the crural fascia covering the deep structures of the distal portion of the leg, ankle, and foot. Their role is to maintain the approximation of the tendons to the underlying bone.