Blood supply of Structures of the Knee

Courtesy: Prof Nabil Ebraheim, University of Toledo, Ohio, USA

BLOOD SUPPLY OF STRUCTURES OF THE KNEE

 

• There are 2 main sources that supply the structures of the knee ; the Popliteal artery and the Anterior tibial artery.

 

ANTERIOR TIBIAL ARTERY

a)     Recurrent branch of anterior Tibial artery – close to the tibial tubercle

Applied anatomy – fracture of tibial tubercle causes injury to this branch and can cause compartment syndrome

 

POPLITEAL ARTERY

Has 5 branches

a)     Medical superior genicular artery

b)     Lateral superior genicular artery

c)     Medial inferior genicular artery

d)     Lateral inferior genicular artery

e)     Middle genicular artery

 

Applied anatomy  –

• The outer part (20%-30%) of medial and lateral menisci heals better due to blood supply from the medial and lateral inferior genicular artery
• The posterior horns of the menisci are supplied by the middle genicular artery
• Majority of the meniscus is avascular
• Medial inferior and lateral inferior genicular artery supplies the infrapatellar fat pad and the patellar tendon
• ACL and PCL is supplied by the middle genicular artery
• The medial and lateral superior genicular artery supplies the medial and lateral retinaculum

Applied anatomy – the lateral superior genicular artery is at risk of injury during the lateral retinacular release