Popliteal Fossa

Question 1

What is the superomedial border?

Answer 1

semimembranosus.

Question 2

What is the superolateral border?

Answer 2

biceps femoris.

Question 3

What is the inferomedial border?

Answer 3

medial head of the gastrocnemius.

Question 4

What is the inferolateral border?

Answer 4

lateral head of the gastrocnemius and plantaris.

Question 5

What makes the floor?

Answer 5

posterior surface of the knee joint capsule,
popliteus muscle
posterior femur.

Question 6

What makes the roof?

Answer 6

popliteal fascia and skin.

The popliteal fascia is continuous with the fascia lata of the leg.

Question 7

What are its contents?

Answer 7

Its contents are (medial to lateral):

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

Question 8

What lies most superficially?

Answer 8

The tibial and common fibular nerves
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.

Question 9

What lies most deep?

Answer 9

popliteal artery

It is a continuation of the femoral artery,

Question 10

What are the causes of a swelling the popliteal fossa?

Answer 10

Baker’s cyst or Popliteal aneursym

Question 11

what can be the signs of a popliteal aneursym?

Answer 11

The tibial nerve is particularly susceptible to compression from the popliteal artery. The major features of tibial nerve compression are:

Weakened or absent plantar flexion
Paraesthesia of the foot and posterolateral leg