POPLITEAL FOSSA 315 



motic peroneal nerve, and the lateral cutaneous nerve of the 

 calf, which supplies the skin on the anterior and lateral aspect of 

 the proximal part of the leg. They frequently take origin by a 

 common stem. The anastomotic peroneal nerve arises from the 

 common peroneal trunk in the popliteal fossa, and is continued 

 distally over the lateral head of the gastrocnemius. It ulti- 

 mately unites with the medial cutaneous nerve of the calf to 

 form the nervus suralis. 



The articular branches are three in number. They are 

 the superior and inferior lateral articular branches and the 

 recurrent articular nerve. The first two accompany the 

 superior and inferior lateral genicular branches of the popliteal 

 artery respectively. They are of small size and are difficult 

 to find. The recurrent articular nerve which springs from 

 the termination of the common peroneal nerve will be dis- 

 sected at a later stage (p. 356). 



Arteria Poplitea. The popliteal artery is the continuation 

 of the femoral artery, and is therefore part of the great arterial 

 trunk of the lower limb. It begins at the opening in the 

 adductor magnus, where the femoral artery ends ; and it 

 terminates at the distal border of the popliteus muscle by 

 dividing into the anterior and posterior tibial arteries. The 

 division is hidden from view, at the present stage of the 

 dissection, by the proximal border of the soleus muscle, but 

 it will be exposed when the leg is dissected. 



The course which the popliteal artery takes through the 

 popliteal fossa is not straight. At first it descends vertically 

 and so reaches the middle of the fossa between the 

 condyles of the femur. From that point to its termina- 

 tion it inclines obliquely, distally and laterally. Throughout 

 the greater part of its length it is placed deeply. In the 

 proximal part of the fossa it is covered by the semimem- 

 branosus, but where it lies in the interval between the two 

 condyles, although it is placed deeply in the fat of the 

 fossa, it is covered merely by the integuments and fasciae 

 of the tibial nerve, and the popliteal vein. That part of 

 the vessel is very short, however, not more than about 

 25 mm. ; then it passes between and anterior to the two 

 heads of the gastrocnemius, is crossed by the plantaris, 

 and finally, at its termination, it sinks under cover of the 

 proximal border of the soleus. Throughout its whole course 

 the popliteal artery rests against the floor of the popliteal 



