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POPLITEAL FOSSA
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of the lecture the student should be able to know:
 To understand the boundaries of popliteal fossa
...




To know some clinical correlates regarding popliteal fossa
...



MUSCLES INVOLVED IN POPLITEAL FOSSA
Muscles of hamstring group:
1
...
Semitendinosus
3
...


Contents are arranged in this order from superficial to deep
or from back to front:
 Superficial fascia
 Nerves
 popliteal veins
 Popliteal arteries
 Joint capsule

Fascia of the popliteal fascia
Subcutaneous tissue overlying the fascia contains fat, the
small saphenous vein & 3 cutaneous nerves
 posterior cutaneous of the thigh
 medial cutaneous sural nerve
 lateral cutaneous sural nerve
The deep fascia forms a protective sheet overlying the neurovascular
structures; it is continuous with the fascia lata of the thigh & the deep fascia of the
leg
...
When extended the fascia stretches taught and the semimembranosus
moves laterally to cover the fossa’s contents

Popliteal artery
The

popliteal artery is a continuation of the femoral artery as it traverses the
adductor hiatus and moves from anterior to posterior
...

Anterior relation
 Lies on posterior surface of femur
 Knee joint
 Popliteus muscle
Posterior relation

Popliteal vein

Tibial nerve

Fascia

Skin
Branches
1
...

Superior lateral genicular artery
Superior medial genicular artery
Middle genicular artery
Inferior lateral genicular artery
Inferior medial genicular artery



Importance
Peri-genicular collateral circulation maintains flow around the knee during full
flexion*
2
...
Descending genicular branch of the femoral artery
(superior-medial)
2
...
Anterior tibial recurrent branch of the anterior tibial
artery (infero-lateral)
4
...
Traverses the fossa with artery in a fibrous sheath and changes to the
femoral vein at the adductor hiatus
...
There are several valves located in the superior region of the fossa
...

 Veins corresponding to branches of popliteal artery

Lymph nodes:
1
...
Deep - located around the popliteal artery & vein
 Receive lymphatics from lateral side of foot and from knee joint
 They drain proximally to the deep inguinal nodes
 Any process in the foot can rapidly move proximally in this fashion

Nerves of the popliteal fossa:


Sciatic nerve splits at the superior angle of the popliteal fossa to form
Tibial nerve
Common peroneal nerve:

Tibial nerve:
Formed by the anterior divisions of the anterior rami of l4-s3, this is
medial, larger and more superficial branch of the sciatic nerve in the
fossa
...

Muscular branches:
 To the soleus, gastrocnemius, plantaris and popliteus
...

Accompanies small saphenous vein and supply sensations to lateral border of
foot and lateral side of little toe

Common fibular nerve:
Formed by the posterior divisions of the anterior rami of l4-s2), lateral and smaller
branch of the sciatic it follows the medial border of the biceps femoris muscle &
tendon
...

•Deep fibular nerve – anterior muscles of the leg, and dorsum of the foot
...

Branches of common peroneal in popliteal fossa
Muscular
 Short head of bicep
Cutaneous
 Sural communicating nerve
 Lateral cutaneous nerve of calf
 Skin of lateral side on the back of neck

CLINICAL CORRELATE
Any

expansible process in this area tends to cause great
discomfort due to the tight fascial restrictions, early
involvement of neurovascular structures and the
involvement in locomotion
...

Aneurysmal dilatations at the bifurcation of the popliteal
artery are not uncommon and often produce symptoms
related the nerves traversing the fossa
...


Baker's cysts
The synovial sack of the knee joint can, under certain inflammatory
circumstances, produce a posterior bulge into the popliteal fossa, behind
the knee
...

Most baker's cysts maintain this direct communication with the synovial
cavity of the knee, but sometimes a separate cyst pinches off
...


Popliteal aneurysm
Etiology related to chronic flexion/extension cycles
 presentation
pulsatile mass in the popliteal fossa
Risks
Distal embolization
Acute thrombosis
Rupture
Associated aneurysms – other leg, femoral, aortic
...
5- Lower Limb
Pgs

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