Popliteal fossa
Updates to Article Attributes
Body
was changed:
The popliteal fossa is (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
- superomedial: lateral border of semimembranosus (with 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) femur (popliteal surface), knee joint capsule, popliteus muscle
- roof: skin, subcutaneous tissue, fascia lata
See the mnemonic here.
Contents
- fat
- popliteal artery: deepest, gives off genicular branches
- popliteal vein: in between the artery and tibial nerve
- tibial nerve: most superficial
- common fibular (peroneal) nerve: runs along the lateral border
- posterior femoral cutaneous nerve: descends and pierces the roof
- small saphenous vein: ascends and pierces the roof to enter the popliteal vein
- popliteal lymph nodes
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> 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.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Boundaries</h5><ul>- +<p>The <strong>popliteal fossa</strong> (plural: <strong>fossae</strong>) 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.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Boundaries</h5><ul>
-<li><a href="/articles/baker-cyst-1">Baker's cyst</a></li>- +<li><a href="/articles/baker-cyst-1">Baker cyst</a></li>
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