Popliteal artery

At a glance

English

Popliteal artery

Latin (TA2)

Arteria poplitea

System

Artery

Region

Lower limb

Side

Paired, left and right

About the popliteal artery

The popliteal artery carries blood across the back of the knee. It begins where the femoral artery passes through the adductor hiatus, the gap in the lower part of adductor magnus, and enters the popliteal fossa. It runs downwards and slightly laterally through the fossa and finishes at the lower edge of popliteus, splitting there into posterior and anterior tibial arteries. Because the fibular artery normally comes off the posterior tibial a short way down, the first part of the posterior tibial is often called the tibiofibular trunk.

It is the deepest structure in the fossa. In front of it lie the flat popliteal surface of the femur, then the back of the knee capsule and then popliteus. Behind it lie the popliteal vein and, more superficially, the tibial nerve, followed by fascia and skin. Above, biceps femoris and the lateral femoral condyle lie on its lateral side and semimembranosus and the medial condyle on its medial side; lower down the two heads of gastrocnemius and plantaris flank it. It leaves the fossa by passing under the tendinous arch of soleus.

Its branches include muscular and sural arteries to the hamstrings, gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris, cutaneous twigs, and five genicular arteries: superior medial, superior lateral, middle, inferior medial and inferior lateral. The middle genicular pierces the capsule to supply the cruciate ligaments and synovium; the others wind round the joint and form the genicular anastomosis with branches of the femoral, lateral circumflex femoral and anterior tibial arteries. Its upper muscular branches also link with gluteal arteries and the end of the deep femoral artery.

The popliteal pulse is hard to feel because of the artery's depth; it is best felt with the knee bent to slacken the fascia, pressing towards the tibia low in the fossa. A weak or absent pulse suggests disease higher up. Popliteal aneurysm causes a pulsating swelling, pain and swelling of the leg and may press on the tibial nerve. Knee dislocation and fractures of the distal femur can tear the artery or create a fistula with the vein, and popliteal entrapment can compress it in young athletes.

Course and supply

Arises from

Continues from the femoral artery at the adductor hiatus in adductor magnus.

Ends in

Ends at the lower edge of popliteus by dividing into the anterior tibial and posterior tibial arteries (the latter often described as the tibiofibular trunk).

Supplies

Supplies the knee joint through five genicular arteries, the hamstrings, gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris through muscular and sural branches, and the skin of the back of the knee; through its terminal branches it carries all the blood for the leg and foot.