Biometric Study of the Bifurcations of the Popliteal Artery and the Tibiofibular Trunk

Abstract

SUMMARY:The popliteal artery is located deep inside the popliteal fossa, and is an important landmark in surgical procedures. Lesions of this vessel and its branches can be dangerous, blocking circulation to the lower limb and leading to gangrene or even vascular failure. The aim of this work was to describe the biometric characteristics of the bifurcations of the popliteal artery and the tibiofibular trunk in relation to the head of the fibula in 38 lower limbs through dissection. The bifurcation of the both arteries was present in all the cases. The mean confidence interval for the bifurcation of the popliteal artery was from 2.82 cm to 3.18 cm from the head of the fibula, and that of the bifurcation of the tibiofibular trunk was from 5.72 cm to 6.68 cm. The bifurcation of the popliteal artery into the anterior tibial artery and tibiofibular trunk showed a more constant positioning than the level of the birfurcation of the posterior tibial artery and fibular artery. These data can help in the development of new access routes to these arteries, or the optimization of surgical planning in the region in question.