- compartment
- 1. Partitioned off portion of a larger bound space; a separate section or chamber; the compartments of the limbs are bound deeply by bones and intermuscular septa and superficially by deep fascia and generally are not in communication with the other compartments, and thus infection or increased pathologic pressure may be limited to a c.; muscles contained within the compartments of the limbs share similar functions and innervation. 2. A separate division; specifically, a structural or biochemical portion of a cell that is separated from the rest of the cell. SYN: compartimentum.- anterior c. of arm [TA] anterior portion of the space enclosed by the brachial fascia, separated from the posterior c. by the humerus and the lateral and medial intermuscular septa that extend from it; contains muscles that produce flexion, all innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve. SYN: compartimentum brachii anterius [TA], compartimentum brachii flexorum [TA], flexor c. of arm.- anterior c. of forearm [TA] anterior portion of the space enclosed by the antebrachial fascia, separated from the posterior c. by the radius and ulna and by the intervening interosseous membrane; the spaces are demarcated superficially by the subcutaneous border of the ulna and the (pulse of the) radial artery; contains the pronators of the forearm, flexors of the wrist, and long flexors of the digits, innervated by the median (mostly) and ulnar nerves; is unusual among limb compartments since it communicates via the carpal tunnel with the midpalmar space. SYN: compartimentum antebrachii anterius [TA], compartimentum antebrachii flexorum, flexor c. of forearm.- anterior c. of leg [TA] anterior portion of space enclosed by the deep fascia of the leg, separated from the posterior c. by the tibia and fibula by the intervening interosseous membrane, and from the lateral c. by the anterior intermuscular septum; contains the dorsiflexors of the foot and long extensors of the toes, all innervated by the deep fibular (peroneal) nerve. SYN: compartimentum cruris anterius [TA], compartimentum cruris extensorum, extensor c. of leg, dorsiflexor c. of leg.- anterior c. of thigh [TA] anterior portion of the space enclosed by the fascia lata, separated from the medial and lateral compartments by the medial and lateral intermuscular septa, respectively; contains the shaft of the femur and the muscles that produce flexion at hip and/or extension at the knee, innervated by the femoral nerve. SYN: compartimentum femoris anterius [TA], compartimentum femoris extensorum [TA], extensor c. of thigh, c. of thigh for extensors of knee, c. of thigh for flexors of hip.- dorsiflexor c. of leg SYN: anterior c. of leg.- lateral c. of leg [TA] lateral portion of space enclosed by the deep fascia of the leg, separated from the anterior and posterior compartments by the anterior and posterior intermuscular septa of leg, respectively; contains evertors of the foot, innervated by the superficial fibular (peroneal) nerve. SYN: compartimentum cruris laterale peroneorum [TA], compartimentum cruris fibularium, fibular c. of leg, peroneal c. of leg, compartimentum cruris.- medial c. of thigh [TA] medial portion of the space enclosed by the fascia lata, separated from the anterior and posterior compartments by the medial and posterior femoral intermuscular septa, respectively; contains muscles that adduct the thigh at the hip joint, all of which are innervated by the obturator nerve. SYN: compartimentum femoris mediale [TA], adductor c. of thigh, compartimentum femoris adductorum.- nonplasmatic c. c. surrounded by a single biomembrane ( E.G., vacuoles, lysosomes).- plantarflexor c. of leg SYN: posterior c. of leg.- plasmatic c. c. surrounded by a double biomembrane and containing polynucleotides ( E.G., mitochondria).- posterior c. of arm [TA] posterior portion of the space enclosed by the brachial fascia, separated from the anterior c. by the humerus and the lateral and medial intermuscular septa that extend from it; contains the triceps muscles that extend the forearm at the elbow joint and are innervated by the radial nerve. SYN: compartimentum brachii posterius [TA], compartimentum brachii extensorum, extensor c. of arm.- posterior c. of forearm [TA] posterior portion of the space enclosed by the antebrachial fascia, separated from the anterior c. by the radius and ulna and by the intervening interosseous membrane; the spaces are demarcated superficially by the subcutaneous border of the ulna and the (pulse of the) radial artery; contains a supinator of the forearm, extensors of the hand at the wrist, and long extensors of the digits, all innervated by the radial nerve. SYN: compartimentum antebrachii posterius [TA], compartimentum antebrachii extensorum, extensor c. of forearm.- posterior c. of leg [TA] posterior portion of space enclosed by the deep fascia of the leg, separated from the anterior c. by the tibia and fibula by the intervening interosseous membrane, and from the lateral c. by the posterior intermuscular septum of the leg; contains the plantarflexors of the foot and long flexors of the toes, all innervated by the tibial nerve. SYN: compartimentum cruris posterius [TA], compartimentum cruris flexorum, flexor c. of leg, plantarflexor c. of leg.- posterior c. of thigh [TA] posterior portion of the space enclosed by the fascia lata, separated from the medial and anterior compartments by the posterior and lateral intermuscular septa, respectively; contains the hamstring muscles (extensor of the thigh at the hip joint and flexors of the leg at the knee joint) and the short head of the biceps; all innervated by the sciatic nerve (the former by the tibial nerve portion, the latter by the fibular nerve portion). SYN: compartimentum femoris posterius [TA], compartimentum femoris flexorum, flexor c. of thigh, c. of thigh for extensors of hip joint, c. of thigh for flexors of knee.
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n.(in anatomy) any one of the spaces in a limb that are bounded by bone and thick sheets of fascia and enclose the muscles and other tissues of the limb.* * *
com·part·ment (kəm-pahrtґmənt) a small enclosure within a larger space.
Medical dictionary. 2011.
