Popliteal artery
• Beginning: At the opening of adductor magnus as a downward continuation of the femoral artery.
• Relations:
• Anteriorly:
• Popliteal surface of the femur. Knee joint. Popliteus muscle.
• Posteriorly:
• Popliteal vein. Tibial nerve. Superficial fascia, deep fascia and skin.
• End:
• By dividing into anterior and posterior tibial arteries at the lower border of popliteus muscle.
• Branches:
• Muscular and articular to the knee joint.
Popliteal vein (Fig. 11)
• Beginning:
• At the lower border of popliteus
• Course and relations: it ascents posterior to femoral artery.
• End: By becoming the femoral vein.
• Tributaries:
• Tributaries corresponding to the branches of popliteal artery.
• Small saphenous vein.
Arterial anastomosis of the knee
• Branches of femoral artery.
• Branches of popliteal artery.
• Branches of anterior and posterior tibial arteries.
Tibial nerve (Fig. 11)
• Beginning:
• It is one of the two terminal branches of sciatic nerve.
• Course and relations:
• It descends downwards in the popliteal fossa.
• End:
• The nerve enters the posterior aspect of the leg.
• Branches:
• 1. Sural nerve
• 2. Muscular and articular to the knee joint
•
Common peroneal nerve (Fig. 11)
• Beginning:
• It is one of the two terminal branches of sciatic nerve.
• It begins in the lower third of the thigh.
• Course and relations:
• It descends downwards in the popliteal fossa,
• It passes superficially to the lateral head of gastrocnemius muscle.
• End:
• Ends by dividing into the superficial peroneal nerve and the deep peroneal nerve.
• Branches:
Compartments of the leg
The interosseous membrane
Retinaculae of the ankle
• Superior extensor retinaculum
• Inferior extensor retinaculum
• Flexor retinaculum
• Superior peroneal retinaculum
• Inferior peroneal retinaculum
Front of the leg
Cutaneous nerve supply
• Lateral cutaneous nerve of the calf
• Superficial peroneal nerve
• Saphenous nerve
Venous drainage: great saphenous vein.
Lymph drainage:
Tibialis anterior
• Origin:
• Insertion:
• Nerve supply:
• Action:
Extensor digitorum longus
Peroneus tertius
Extensor hallucis longus
Anterior tibial artery
• Beginning: it is one of the two terminal branches of popliteal artery. It arises at the lower border of popliteus muscle.
• Course and relations:
• It descends on the interosseous membrane with the deep peroneal nerve.
• End: by becoming the dorsalis pedis artery.
• Branches:
Deep peroneal nerve
Beginning:
• It begins as one of the two terminal branches of common peroneal nerve
• Course and relations:
• Branches: muscular and articular to the ankle joint.
Peroneus longus
• Origin:
• Insertion:
• Nerve supply:
• Action:
Peroneus brevis
Superficial peroneal nerve
• Beginning:
• as one of the two terminal branches of common peroneal nerve.
• Course and relations:
• Branches:
• Medial and lateral cutaneous branches, which supplies the skin
• Muscular branches.