Popliteal fossa

Last revised by Craig Hacking ◉ ◈ on 05 Jun 2021

Citation, DOI & article data

Citation:

Hacking C, Bell D, Kang O, et al. Popliteal fossa. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 05 Feb 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-45483

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-45483

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/45483?iframe=true

rID:

45483

Article created:

26 May 2016 by Craig Hacking ◉ ◈

Revisions:

11 times by 4 users - see full revision history

Systems:

Musculoskeletal, Vascular

Sections:

Anatomy

Synonyms:

popliteal fossae

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 s emimembranosus 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.

fat
popliteal artery: deepest, gives off genicular branches
popliteal vein: in between the artery and tibial nerve
tibial nerve: most superficial, giving off the sural nerve which descends to pierce the roof
common fibular (peroneal) nerve: runs along the lateral border, giving off a communicating sural nerve which descends to pierce the roof in the lateral fossa and join the sural nerve
posterior femoral cutaneous nerve: descends and pierces the roof
small saphenous vein: ascends and pierces the roof to enter the popliteal vein in the lower half of the fossa
popliteal lymph nodes