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    The popliteal fossa is a diamond-shaped area located behind the knee that contains important neurovascular structures. It has four borders formed by thigh and leg muscles. The popliteal fossa contains the popliteal artery, popliteal vein, tibial nerve, and common fibular nerve, which pass between the thigh and leg. The deepest structure is the popliteal artery, a continuation of the femoral artery that supplies the leg.

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    The popliteal fossa is a diamond-shaped area located behind the knee that contains important neurovascular structures. It has four borders formed by thigh and leg muscles. The popliteal fossa contains the popliteal artery, popliteal vein, tibial nerve, and common fibular nerve, which pass between the thigh and leg. The deepest structure is the popliteal artery, a continuation of the femoral artery that supplies the leg.

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    125 views3 pages

    Borders: Teachmeseries LTD

    Uploaded by

    lecturio
    The popliteal fossa is a diamond-shaped area located behind the knee that contains important neurovascular structures. It has four borders formed by thigh and leg muscles. The popliteal fossa contains the popliteal artery, popliteal vein, tibial nerve, and common fibular nerve, which pass between the thigh and leg. The deepest structure is the popliteal artery, a continuation of the femoral artery that supplies the leg.

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    The popliteal fossa is a diamond shaped area located on the posterior aspect of

    the knee. It is the main path by which vessels and nerves pass between the thigh
    and the leg.

    In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the popliteal fossa – its borders,
    contents and clinical correlations.
    Borders

    The popliteal fossa is diamond shaped with four borders. These borders are formed
    by the muscles in the posterior compartment of the leg and thigh:

     Superomedial border – semimembranosus.


     Superolateral border – biceps femoris.
     Inferomedial border – medial head of the gastrocnemius.
     Inferolateral border – lateral head of the gastrocnemius and plantaris.

    The floor of the popliteal fossa is formed by the posterior surface of the knee joint
    capsule, popliteus muscle and posterior femur. The roof is made of up two layers:
    popliteal fascia and skin. The popliteal fascia is continuous with the fascia lata of
    the leg.

     By TeachMeSeries Ltd (2020)

    Fig 1 – The borders of the popliteal fossa are formed by the muscles of the thigh and
    leg.
    Contents
    The popliteal fossa is the main conduit for neurovascular structures entering and
    leaving the leg. Its contents are (medial to lateral):

     Popliteal artery
     Popliteal vein
     Tibial nerve
     Common fibular nerve (common peroneal nerve)

    The tibial and common fibular nerves are the most superficial of the contents of the
    popliteal fossa. They are both branches of the sciatic nerve. The common fibular
    nerve follows the biceps femoris tendon, travelling along the lateral margin of the
    popliteal fossa.

    The small saphenous vein pierces the popliteal fascia and passes between the two
    heads of gastrocnemius to empty into the popliteal vein.

    In the popliteal fossa, the deepest structure is the popliteal artery. It is a


    continuation of the femoral artery, and travels into the leg to supply it with blood.

     By TeachMeSeries Ltd (2020)
    Fig 2 – The contents of the popliteal fossa.

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