Popliteal fossa, adductor canal

Fossa poplitea (Regio genus posterior)[edit | edit source]

English: Popliteal fossa

Boundaries[edit | edit source]

Proximally, medially: m. semitendinosus, m. semimembranosus;
proximally, lateraly: m. biceps femoris;
distally: m. gastrocnemius lateralis et medialis;
bottom of the fossa is m. popliteus and capsule of the knee joint. Bursae are formed under the muscle attachments.

Includes:[edit | edit source]

Neurovascular bundle consisting lateromedially and from the surface to the depth of n. fibularis communis (laterally by m. biceps femoris, then it continous laterodistally around caput fibulae, where it is often injured due to its surface position), n. tibialis (runs through the middle of the landscape, running between bellies m. gastrocnemius), vasa poplitea (the continuation v. femoralis and a. femoralis, after passaging is called hiatus adductorius), a. poplitea provides branches for the surrounding muscles and joint. Along the vessels are nodi poplitei. The space among structures is filled with adipous tissue.

The skin of the regio is soft and movable against the substratum, in the subcutaneous tissue is v. saphena parva, which in this region goes through fascia and continues to v. poplitea. Fascia in this region is strong. Palpable are insertions of the knee joint flexors: medially m. semitendinosus and semimembranosus, laterally m. biceps femoris attaching to caput fibulae.

Canalis adductorius, also called Hunter's canal, is a space among m. adductor longus (medially), m. vastus medialis (laterally), m. adductor magnus (dorsally), lamina vastoadductoria (ventrally) and above the canal is m. sartorius. Proximally continues to fossa iliopectinea, distally comes to hiatus tendineus passing to fossa poplitea.

Includes[edit | edit source]

To the Hunter's canal enter a. femoralis and v. femoralis (both from trigonum femorale and fossa iliopectinea). There is also a sensitive n. saphenus, which goes through lamina vastoadductoria together with a. genus descendes.