Anatomy of the medial distal femur: a study of the adductor hiatus.

The proximity of the vascular structures traversing the adductor hiatus in the medial distal femur is a potential concern for the surgeon. The distance from the adductor tubercle to the adductor hiatus was measured in both lower extremities in 24 skeletally mature cadavers. This distance ranged from 8.0 to 13.5 cm (mean 10.0). The area up to 8 cm proximal to the adductor tubercle, anterior to the medial intermuscular septum, appears to be a safe interval for avoiding vascular structures with percutaneous or limited open surgeries of the medial aspect of the distal femur.