Popliteal fossa
Disclosures
- updated 5 Apr 2023:
Nothing to disclose
Updates to Article Attributes
Body
was changed:
The popliteal fossa (plural: fossae) is a diamond or rhomboid-shaped fat-filled space in the posterior knee. The space is extremely dynamic, allowing for its neurovascular contents to move during the extreme range of motion produced by knee flexion and extension.
Gross anatomy
Boundaries
superolateral: medial border of biceps femoris muscle
superomedial: lateral border of semimembranosus muscle (with the tendon of semitendinosus superficial to it)
inferolateral: medial border of the lateral head of gastrocnemius
inferomedial: lateral border of the medial head of gastrocnemius
floor: (superior to inferior) popliteal surface of the femur, knee joint capsule, popliteus muscle
roof: skin, subcutaneous tissue, fascia lata
See the mnemonic here.
Contents
Arteries:
popliteal artery: deepest, gives off paired superior, middle and inferior genicular arteries 4
Veins:
popliteal vein: in between the artery and tibial nerve
short saphenous vein: ascends and pierces the roof to enter the popliteal vein in the lower half of the fossa before joining the popliteal vein
Nerves:
tibial nerve: most superficial, giving off the
lateralmedial sural cutaneous nerve which descends to pierce the roof, before joining themediallateral cutaneous branch to form the sural nerve4common fibular (peroneal) nerve: runs along the lateral border, giving off the
mediallateral cutaneous branch of the sural nerve which descends to pierce the roof in the lateral fossa gives off a communicating branch which unites with thelateralmedial branch (from thetibealtibial nerve) to form the sural nerve4posterior femoral cutaneous nerve: descends and pierces the roof
articular branch of obturator nerve 4
Other
fat
popliteal lymph nodes
a variable number of bursae 4
At all levels, the popliteal vein is found between the popliteal artery and the tibial nerve 2.
Related pathology
-<p>The <strong>popliteal fossa</strong> (plural: <strong>fossae</strong>) is a diamond or rhomboid-shaped fat-filled space in the posterior <a href="/articles/knee-joint-1">knee</a>. The space is extremely dynamic, allowing for its neurovascular contents to move during the extreme range of motion produced by knee flexion and extension.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Boundaries</h5><ul>-<li><p><strong>superolateral</strong>: medial border of <a href="/articles/biceps-femoris-muscle-1">biceps femoris</a> muscle</p></li>-<li><p><strong>superomedial</strong>: lateral border of <a href="/articles/semimembranosus-muscle">semimembranosus</a> muscle (with the tendon of <a href="/articles/semitendinosus-muscle">semitendinosus</a> superficial to it)</p></li>-<li><p><strong>inferolateral</strong>: medial border of the lateral head of <a href="/articles/gastrocnemius-muscle">gastrocnemius</a></p></li>-<li><p><strong>inferomedial</strong>: lateral border of the medial head of gastrocnemius</p></li>-<li><p><strong>floor</strong>: (superior to inferior) popliteal surface of the <a href="/articles/femur">femur</a>, knee joint capsule, <a href="/articles/popliteus-muscle">popliteus muscle</a></p></li>-<li><p><strong>roof</strong>: skin, subcutaneous tissue, <a href="/articles/fascia-lata">fascia lata</a></p></li>-</ul><p>See the mnemonic <a href="/articles/popliteal-fossa-anatomy-mnemonic">here</a>.</p><h5>Contents</h5><p>Arteries: </p><ul><li><p><a href="/articles/popliteal-artery">popliteal artery</a>: deepest, gives off paired <a href="/articles/superior-lateral-genicular-artery" title="Lateral superior genicular artery">superior</a>, <a href="/articles/middle-genicular-artery" title="Middle genicular artery">middle</a> and <a href="/articles/inferior-lateral-genicular-artery" title="Lateral inferior genicular artery">inferior</a> genicular arteries <sup>4</sup></p></li></ul><p>Veins: </p><ul>-<li><p><a href="/articles/popliteal-vein">popliteal vein</a>: in between the artery and tibial nerve</p></li>-<li><p><a href="/articles/small-saphenous-vein">short saphenous vein</a>: ascends and pierces the roof to enter the popliteal vein in the lower half of the fossa before joining the popliteal vein</p></li>-</ul><p>Nerves: </p><ul>-<li><p><a href="/articles/tibial-nerve">tibial nerve</a>: most superficial, giving off the lateral sural cutaneous nerve which descends to pierce the roof, before joining the medial cutaneous branch to form the <a href="/articles/sural-nerve" title="Sural nerve">sural nerve</a></p></li>-<li><p><a href="/articles/common-peroneal-nerve">common fibular (peroneal) nerve</a>: runs along the lateral border, giving off the medial cutaneous branch of the <a href="/articles/sural-nerve" title="Sural nerve">sural nerve</a> which descends to pierce the roof in the lateral fossa gives off a communicating branch which unites with the lateral branch (from the tibeal nerve) to form the <a href="/articles/sural-nerve" title="Sural nerve">sural nerve</a></p></li>-<li><p><a href="/articles/posterior-femoral-cutaneous-nerve">posterior femoral cutaneous nerve</a>: descends and pierces the roof </p></li>-<li><p>articular branch of <a href="/articles/obturator-nerve-1" title="Obturator nerve">obturator nerve</a> <sup>4</sup></p></li>-</ul><p>Other</p><ul>-<li><p>fat</p></li>-<li><p>popliteal lymph nodes</p></li>-<li><p>a variable number of bursae <sup>4</sup></p></li>-</ul><p>At all levels, the popliteal vein is found between the popliteal artery and the tibial nerve <sup>2</sup>.</p><h4>Related pathology</h4><ul>-<li><p><a href="/articles/baker-cyst-2">Baker cyst</a></p></li>-<li><p><a href="/articles/popliteal-artery-aneurysm">popliteal artery aneurysm</a></p></li>-<li><p><a href="/articles/cystic-adventitial-disease">cystic adventitial disease</a></p></li>-<li><p><a href="/articles/popliteal-artery-entrapment-syndrome">popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES)</a></p></li>- +<p>The <strong>popliteal fossa</strong> (plural: <strong>fossae</strong>) is a diamond or rhomboid-shaped fat-filled space in the posterior <a href="/articles/knee-joint-1">knee</a>. The space is extremely dynamic, allowing for its neurovascular contents to move during the extreme range of motion produced by knee flexion and extension.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Boundaries</h5><ul>
- +<li><p><strong>superolateral</strong>: medial border of <a href="/articles/biceps-femoris-muscle-1">biceps femoris</a> muscle</p></li>
- +<li><p><strong>superomedial</strong>: lateral border of <a href="/articles/semimembranosus-muscle">semimembranosus</a> muscle (with the tendon of <a href="/articles/semitendinosus-muscle">semitendinosus</a> superficial to it)</p></li>
- +<li><p><strong>inferolateral</strong>: medial border of the lateral head of <a href="/articles/gastrocnemius-muscle">gastrocnemius</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><strong>inferomedial</strong>: lateral border of the medial head of gastrocnemius</p></li>
- +<li><p><strong>floor</strong>: (superior to inferior) popliteal surface of the <a href="/articles/femur">femur</a>, knee joint capsule, <a href="/articles/popliteus-muscle">popliteus muscle</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><strong>roof</strong>: skin, subcutaneous tissue, <a href="/articles/fascia-lata">fascia lata</a></p></li>
- +</ul><p>See the mnemonic <a href="/articles/popliteal-fossa-anatomy-mnemonic">here</a>.</p><h5>Contents</h5><p>Arteries:</p><ul><li><p><a href="/articles/popliteal-artery">popliteal artery</a>: deepest, gives off paired <a href="/articles/superior-lateral-genicular-artery" title="Lateral superior genicular artery">superior</a>, <a href="/articles/middle-genicular-artery" title="Middle genicular artery">middle</a> and <a href="/articles/inferior-lateral-genicular-artery" title="Lateral inferior genicular artery">inferior</a> genicular arteries <sup>4</sup></p></li></ul><p>Veins:</p><ul>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/popliteal-vein">popliteal vein</a>: in between the artery and tibial nerve</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/small-saphenous-vein">short saphenous vein</a>: ascends and pierces the roof to enter the popliteal vein in the lower half of the fossa before joining the popliteal vein</p></li>
- +</ul><p>Nerves:</p><ul>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/tibial-nerve">tibial nerve</a>: most superficial, giving off the medial sural cutaneous nerve which descends to pierce the roof, before joining the lateral cutaneous branch to form the <a href="/articles/sural-nerve" title="Sural nerve">sural nerve</a><sup>4</sup></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/common-peroneal-nerve">common fibular (peroneal) nerve</a>: runs along the lateral border, giving off the lateral cutaneous branch of the <a href="/articles/sural-nerve" title="Sural nerve">sural nerve</a> which descends to pierce the roof in the lateral fossa gives off a communicating branch which unites with the medial branch (from the tibial nerve) to form the <a href="/articles/sural-nerve" title="Sural nerve">sural nerve</a><sup>4</sup></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/posterior-femoral-cutaneous-nerve">posterior femoral cutaneous nerve</a>: descends and pierces the roof</p></li>
- +<li><p>articular branch of <a href="/articles/obturator-nerve-1" title="Obturator nerve">obturator nerve</a> <sup>4</sup></p></li>
- +</ul><p>Other</p><ul>
- +<li><p>fat</p></li>
- +<li><p>popliteal lymph nodes</p></li>
- +<li><p>a variable number of bursae <sup>4</sup></p></li>
- +</ul><p>At all levels, the popliteal vein is found between the popliteal artery and the tibial nerve <sup>2</sup>.</p><h4>Related pathology</h4><ul>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/baker-cyst-2">Baker cyst</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/popliteal-artery-aneurysm">popliteal artery aneurysm</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/cystic-adventitial-disease">cystic adventitial disease</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/popliteal-artery-entrapment-syndrome">popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES)</a></p></li>
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