Fibular artery

At a glance

English

Fibular artery

Latin (TA2)

Arteria fibularis

System

Artery

Region

Lower limb

Side

Paired, left and right

About the fibular artery

The fibular artery, also known by its older name the peroneal artery, is one of the three main arteries of the leg below the knee. It begins in the upper calf, a few centimetres below the knee, where the tibiofibular trunk splits into the posterior tibial and fibular arteries. Many textbooks simply call it a posterior tibial branch, yet vascular and plastic surgeons treat the short tibiofibular trunk as a distinct segment because it matters in bypass and flap surgery.

From its origin the artery inclines laterally towards the fibula and runs down the leg in the deep posterior compartment. It lies close to the medial crest of the fibula, between tibialis posterior in front and flexor hallucis longus, which often covers or encloses it. Near the ankle it passes behind the tibiofibular joint and ends in lateral calcaneal branches on the outer side of the heel. Paired fibular veins accompany it all the way.

Its branches are muscular twigs to soleus, tibialis posterior, flexor hallucis longus and the fibular muscles, and the nutrient artery of the fibula. A perforating branch pierces the interosseous membrane above the ankle to reach the front of the leg, where it joins the anterior lateral malleolar artery; it can take over the dorsal artery of the foot when the anterior tibial is small. A communicating branch joins the posterior tibial artery behind the lower tibia, and calcaneal branches supply the lateral side of the heel.

Despite its name, the fibular artery lies in the posterior compartment, so the lateral compartment receives it only through perforating branches. Because it often survives atherosclerosis better than the tibial arteries, it is a useful target for distal bypass. Its supply to the fibula also makes the free fibula flap possible for rebuilding the jaw. The Terminologia Anatomica accepts both fibular and peroneal names but prefers fibular.

Course and supply

Arises from

Arises from the division of the tibiofibular trunk in the upper calf, just below the knee; often described as a branch of the posterior tibial artery.

Ends in

Ends behind the lateral malleolus in lateral calcaneal branches; its perforating branch joins the anterior lateral malleolar artery and its communicating branch joins the posterior tibial artery.

Supplies

Supplies the deep posterior and, through perforators, the lateral compartment muscles of the leg, the fibula through its nutrient artery, and the lateral side of the heel.