Description

This video covers the Popliteal Artery (A. Poplitea), including its course, side branches, and its contribution to the blood supply of the knee through the Patellar Network (Rete Articulare Genu).

Course of the Popliteal Artery:

• Direct continuation of the Femoral Artery after passing through the Adductor Hiatus.
• Runs superficially in the Popliteal Fossa, deep to the popliteal vein and tibial nerve.
• Terminates by dividing into two terminal branches:
  • Anterior Tibial Artery (A. Tibialis Anterior): Supplies the anterior compartment of the leg.
  • Posterior Tibial Artery (A. Tibialis Posterior): Supplies the posterior compartment of the leg.

Side Branches of the Popliteal Artery:

• Superior Medial Genicular Artery (A. Superior Medialis Genus): Supplies the medial knee joint.
• Superior Lateral Genicular Artery (A. Superior Lateralis Genus): Supplies the lateral knee joint.
• Inferior Medial Genicular Artery (A. Inferior Medialis Genus): Supplies the medial aspect of the inferior knee joint.
• Inferior Lateral Genicular Artery (A. Inferior Lateralis Genus): Supplies the lateral aspect of the inferior knee joint.
• Middle Genicular Artery (A. Media Genus): Pierces the knee joint capsule and supplies the cruciate ligaments and synovial membrane.
• Sural Arteries (Aa. Surales): Supplies the gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris muscles.

Patellar Network (Rete Articulare Genu) – Blood Supply of the Knee:

• Descending Genicular Artery (A. Descendens Genus): Branch of the femoral artery.
  • Saphenous Branch: Runs with the saphenous nerve.
  • Muscular and Articular Branches: Supply the knee joint.
• Descending Branch of Lateral Femoral Circumflex Artery: From the deep femoral artery, contributes to anastomoses around the knee.
• Posterior and Anterior Recurrent Tibial Arteries: Branches of the anterior tibial artery, supplying the knee joint.
• Circumflex Fibular Branch: Arises from the posterior tibial artery and contributes to knee vascularization.

Clinical Relevance:

• Popliteal Aneurysm: Most common aneurysm of the peripheral arteries, can compress the tibial nerve causing pain and weakness.
• Knee Trauma: The popliteal artery is at risk in posterior knee dislocations.
• Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD): Can affect the popliteal artery, reducing blood flow to the lower limb.

Sources Used:

• Memorix Anatomy (2nd Edition) – Hudák Radovan, Kachlík David, Volný Ondřej.
• Complete Anatomy by 3D4Medical.
• Biorender.
• University Notes and Lectures.

Transcript

Introduction
0:00
hello and welcome to another video in
0:01
this video we’re going to look at the
0:03
popliteal artery and the patellar
0:05
network
0:06
now the popliteal artery is a direct
0:09
continuation of the femoral artery
0:11
so if we now follow the femoral artery
0:13
and look from this perspective
0:15
behind the knee you will see that the
0:17
artery runs very superficially through
0:19
the popliteal fossa
0:20
to the popliteal muscle where it ends by
0:23
dividing into two terminal branches
0:26
and these are the anterior and the
0:28
posterior tibial arteries
Side Branches of the Popliteal Artery
0:31
along its course the popliteal artery
0:34
gives
0:34
of sick side branches for the patellar
0:37
network and the superficial muscles of
0:38
the posterior group of the lower leg
0:41
the first two are the superior medial
0:44
and the superior lateral genicular
0:46
arteries
0:47
which winds around the medial and
0:49
lateral condyle
0:51
of the femur to supply the knee with
0:53
blood
0:54
and since we have superior arteries
0:56
we’re also going to have inferior medial
0:59
and inferior latch organical arteries
1:02
which winds around
1:03
tibia and fibla to supply the knees
1:06
and then there’s the middle gunnicular
1:08
arteries it pierces the articular
1:11
capsule
1:12
enters the articular cavity and supplies
1:15
the ligaments
1:16
meniscus and the synovial folds of the
1:19
knee
1:20
the last artery the popliteal artery
1:22
gives off
1:23
are the serial arteries which descends
1:25
and supply the
1:26
triceps surah muscle now that was all
1:30
for the side branches of the popliteal
1:32
artery overall the popliteal artery and
1:35
its branches provide an
1:36
arterial supply for the knee joint and
1:38
the leg now let’s go ahead and cover the
Patellar Network
1:40
patellar network or the irete
1:42
articularegenu in latin
1:45
first the superior and the inferior
1:47
medial and lateral genicular arteries
1:50
will anastomos like this then there’s
1:52
the descending
1:53
nuclear artery coming from the femoral
1:55
artery if you remember this one
1:57
as it goes down it immediately divides
2:00
into two branches
2:01
one called the saphenous branch which
2:04
joins the medial inferior genicular
2:06
artery
2:07
and helps with the collateral blood flow
2:09
of the knee
2:10
and another one called the muscular or
2:13
articular branches there are actually
2:15
a lot of branches which contribute to
2:18
which also contribute to the knee joints
2:21
so that’s these then remember that the
2:24
lateral femoral circumflex artery
2:26
divides into three branches
2:28
the ascending transfers in the
2:30
descending branch
2:31
the descending branch of the lateral
2:33
femoral circumflex artery
2:35
will go down and contribute to the
2:37
patellar network on the lateral side
2:40
then from the inferior side the anterior
2:43
tibial archway
2:44
will give off two branches called the
2:46
anterior recurrent
2:48
tibial branch from the anterior side
2:52
and a posterior recurrent tibial branch
2:55
which emerges right before the anterior
2:58
tibial artery
2:59
reaches the anterior side as you see
3:01
here
3:02
these two arteries will will contribute
3:04
to the patellar network by
3:05
anesthomousing with the inferior
3:08
lateral genicular artery then lastly
3:11
the posterior tibial artery give off the
3:14
circumflex fibril branch
3:15
to also take part in the patellar
3:17
network by anesthesia with the
3:19
inferior lateral genicular artery so
3:23
that was all i had for the popliteal
3:24
artery and the kidney clear network
3:26
and i hope this was helpful