The anatomical space called the ischioanal fossa (synonym: the ischiorectal fossa) is the space inferior and lateral to the levator ani, lateral to the anal canal, medial to the internal obturator muscle, and superior to the urogenital diaphragm (syn: the superficial pelvic floor).
The ischioanal fossa mainly contains fat but also the pudendal canal (synonym: the Alcock’s canal) on the lateral wall of the ischioanal fossa. The pudendal canal contains the pudendal nerve and the internal pudendal blood vessels.
The picture shows the boundaries of the ischioanal fossa: The superficial pelvic floor inferiorly, the levator ani superiorly and medially, the anal canal medially and the internal obturator muscle laterally. The internal obturator muscle is only shown on the left side of the image.
