Genicular Anastomosis

Description

Knee joint anastomosis

Schematic representation of anastomotic connections found between specimens in the study. DGA = Descending genicular artery, SMGA = Superior medial genicular artery, SLGA = Superior lateral genicular artery, MGA = Middle Genicular artery, IMGA = Inferior

Genicular Anastomosis

Name

• Genicular Anastomosis
• Popliteal Anastomosis
• Patellar Anastomoses
• Patellar Network
• Circulatory anastomosis around the knee-joint
• Articular vascular network of knee
• Rete articulare genus
• Genicular Arterial Anastomosis
• Genicular Arterial Network
• Perigenicular Anastomosis
• Perigenicular Arterial Network
• Knee Anastomosis
• Arterial Anastomosis of the Knee
• Periarticular Arterial Network of the Knee
• Genicular Collateral Circulation
• Knee Collateral Circulation
• Genicular Collateral Network

General

• Articular network of the knee composed of numerous branches of the descending femoral artery
• Can be divided into deep/superficial networks

Gross Anatomy

• Femoral artery travels through anteromedial thigh before diving into the posterior compartment of the thigh
  • Prior to diverging, it gives off the descending genicular artery which gives off an articular branch
  • After passing through the adductor hiatus, the femoral artery is now termed the popliteal artery
• Proximally, the popliteal artery gives off superior medial genicular artery, superior lateral genicular artery
  • This occurs before it descends into the popliteal fossa
  • Superior lateral genicular artery coalesces with a descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery
• Descending branch superior lateral genicular artery travels medially to the patellar anastamosis
• Superior medial genicular artery bifurcates at the adductor tubercle
  • First branch courses laterally in the anterior compartment to join the patellar anastomosis,
  • Second branch travels inferomedially, communicates with inferior medial genicular artery in popliteal fossa
• Inferior lateral genicular artery courses superomedially around the lateral condyle to join the patellar anastomosis as well
• Distal popliteal fossa
  • Popliteal artery bifurcates into anterior and posterior tibial artery
• Anterior tibial artery
  • Gives off posterior tibial recurrent artery (joints inferior lateral genicular artery)
  • Gives off circumflex fibular branch which joints inferior lateral genicular artery
  • Anterior tibial recurrent artery travels superiorly to the patellar anastamosis

Superficial Plexus

• Situated between the fascia and skin around about the patella
• One above the upper border of the patella
• Other two below the patella behind the patellar tendon

Deep Plexus

• Lies on the lower end of the femur, upper end of the tibia
• Sends numerus offsets into the interior of the joint

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Clinical Significance

• Popliteal Aneruysm

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See Also

• Knee Anatomy Main
• Physical Exam Knee
• Knee Pain Main
• Vascular Anatomy Main

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