How to Diagnose Adductor Canal Compression Syndrome

Adductor canal compression syndrome is an acute arterial occlusion that occurs in younger men. The musculotendinous band that arises from the adductor magnus muscle compresses arteries and may have a pathologic resemblance to popliteal fossa entrapment. Adductor canal compression syndrome occurs mostly in younger men and can lead to limb loss. The pathology of this condition comes from the loss of blood supply to the target muscles.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Observe the initial symptoms of adductor canal compression syndrome. This is usually pain while walking that dissipates after three to five minutes. The severity is typically measured in the number of city blocks that can be walked before the onset of pain.
2. Conduct a physical examination of the legs. Patients with adductor canal compression syndrome may show signs of a reduced blood supply to the lower legs including atrophied calf muscles, lack of hair on the lower legs and thickened toenails. The absence of a femoral pulse is strongly indicative of an arterial obstruction.
3. Differentiate adductor canal compression syndrome from popliteal fossa entrapment, which is caused by an abnormal insertion of the gastrocnemius which compresses the popliteal artery. Popliteal fossa entrapment causes the pulse to disappear only when the knee is at full extension, making running less painful than with adductor canal compression syndrome.
4. Run an angiography to identify the specific arteries being blocked.
5. Refer life- or limb-threatening cases of adductor canal compression syndrome to a vascular surgeon. An arteriogram should be taken before any corrective surgery.