The popliteal artery is a deeply placed continuation of the

femoral artery The femoral artery is a large artery in the thigh and the main arterial supply to the thigh and leg. The femoral artery gives off the deep femoral artery and descends along the anteromedial part of the thigh in the femoral triangle. It enters ...

opening in the distal portion of the adductor magnus muscle. It courses through the

popliteal fossa The popliteal fossa (also referred to as hough or kneepit in analogy to the cubital fossa) is a shallow depression located at the back of the knee joint. The bones of the popliteal fossa are the femur and the tibia. Like other flexion surfaces ...

and ends at the lower border of the popliteus muscle, where it branches into the

anterior Standard anatomical terms of location are used to describe unambiguously the anatomy of humans and other animals. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position pro ...

and posterior tibial arteries. The deepest (most anterior) structure in the fossa, the popliteal artery runs close to the joint capsule of the knee as it spans the intercondylar fossa. Five genicular branches of the popliteal artery supply the capsule and ligaments of the knee joint. The genicular arteries are the superior lateral, superior medial, middle, inferior lateral, and inferior medial genicular arteries. They participate in the formation of the periarticular genicular anastomosis, a network of vessels surrounding the knee that provides collateral circulation capable of maintaining blood supply to the leg during full knee flexion, which may kink the popliteal artery.

Structure

The popliteal artery is the continuation of the

. It exits the

under the fibrous arch of the soleus muscle.

Relations

* Anteriorly: The popliteal surface of the femur, the knee joint, and the popliteus muscle. * Posteriorly: The popliteal vein and the

tibial nerve The tibial nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve. The tibial nerve passes through the popliteal fossa to pass below the arch of soleus. Structure Popliteal fossa The tibial nerve is the larger terminal branch of the sciatic nerve with root val ...

, fascia, and skin. * Laterally: The biceps femoris and the lateral condyle of femur in upper part, and plantaris, lateral gastrocnemius in lower part. * Medially: The semimembranosus and the medial condyle of femur in upper part, and

, popliteal vein, medial head of gastrocnemius in lower part.

Branches

The branches of the popliteal artery are: * anterior tibial artery. *

posterior tibial artery The posterior tibial artery of the lower limb is an artery that carries blood to the posterior compartment of the leg and plantar surface of the foot. It branches from the popliteal artery via the tibial-fibular trunk. Structure The posteri ...

. * sural artery. * medial superior genicular artery. * lateral superior genicular artery. * middle genicular artery. * lateral inferior genicular artery. * medial inferior genicular artery. Muscular branches of the popliteal artery supply the

hamstring A hamstring () is any one of the three posterior thigh muscles in human anatomy between the hip and the knee: from medial to lateral, the semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris. Etymology The word " ham" is derived from the Old ...

, gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris muscles. The superior muscular branches of the popliteal artery have clinically important anastomoses with the terminal part of the deep femoral and gluteal arteries. The cutaneous branches arise either directly by the popliteal artery or indirectly by the muscular branches. Genicular branches are five in number, two superior, two inferior, and one middle. The middle genicular artery supplies the cruciate ligaments and the synovial membrane of knee joint.

Tibial-fibular trunk

The fibular artery typically arises from the

. Therefore, the posterior tibial artery proximal to the fibular artery origin is sometimes called the '' tibial-peroneal trunk'' or ''tibial-fibular trunk'' and it could be said that the popliteal artery bifurcates into the ''tibial-fibular trunk'' and ''anterior tibial artery''.

Clinical significance

* Popliteal pulse: Because the popliteal artery is deep, it may be difficult to feel the popliteal

pulse In medicine, the pulse refers to the rhythmic pulsations (expansion and contraction) of an artery in response to the cardiac cycle (heartbeat). The pulse may be felt ( palpated) in any place that allows an artery to be compressed near the surfac ...

Palpation Palpation is the process of using one's hands to check the body, especially while perceiving/diagnosing a disease or illness. Usually performed by a health care practitioner, it is the process of feeling an object in or on the body to determine ...

(checking) of this pulse is commonly performed with the person in the

prone position Prone position () is a body position in which the person lies flat with the chest down and the back up. In anatomical terms of location, the dorsal side is up, and the ventral side is down. The supine position is the 180° contrast. Etymology T ...

with the knee flexed to relax the popliteal fascia and hamstrings. The pulsations are best felt in the inferior part of the fossa where the popliteal artery is related to the

tibia The tibia (; : tibiae or tibias), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two Leg bones, bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outsi ...

. Weakening or loss of the popliteal pulse is a sign of a femoral artery obstruction. * Popliteal aneurysm and hemorrhage: A popliteal aneurysm (abnormal dilation of all or part of the popliteal artery) usually causes

edema Edema (American English), also spelled oedema (British English), and also known as fluid retention, swelling, dropsy and hydropsy, is the build-up of fluid in the body's tissue (biology), tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. S ...

and pain in the popliteal fossa. A popliteal aneurysm may be distinguished from other masses by palpable pulsations (thrills) and abnormal arterial sounds ( bruits) detectable with a stethoscope. Because the artery lies deep to the

, an aneurysm may stretch the nerve or compress its blood supply (see

vasa vasorum Vasa vasorum are networks of small blood vessels that supply the walls of large blood vessels, such as elastic arteries (e.g., the aorta) and large veins (e.g., the venae cavae). The name derives . Occasionally, two different singular forms ar ...

). Pain from such nerve compression is usually referred, in this case to the skin overlying the medial aspect of the calf, ankle or foot. Because the artery is closely applied to the popliteal surface of the femur and the joint capsule, fractures of the distal femur or dislocations of the knee may rupture the artery, resulting in hemorrhage. Furthermore, because of their proximity and confinement within the fossa, an injury of the artery and vein may result in an arteriovenous fistula (communication between an artery and a vein). Failure to recognize these occurrences and to act promptly may result in the loss of the leg and foot. If the femoral artery must be ligated, blood can bypass the occlusion through the genicular anastomosis and reach the popliteal artery distal to the ligation.Moore K.L. and Dalley A.F. (2006), Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 5th Edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Toronto, page 637 * Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome

Additional images

File:Popliteal artery.jpg, Popliteal artery File:Slide2DADE.JPG, Muscles of thigh. Lateral view.

References

External links

* - "Arteries of the lower extremity shown in association with major landmarks."
Image at umich.edu - pulse
{{Authority control Arteries of the lower limb