Popliteal fossa

The popliteal (Latin: popliteal fossa ) or posterior knee area ( Regio genus posterior) is located at the back of the knee region of the body between the upper and lower leg. It is flat and rhomboid in humans.

The popliteal fossa is bounded above on the outside of the biceps femoris and on the inside of the semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscle. Below limit both heads of the gastrocnemius muscle of the knees. The soil is of the femur, the posterior wall of the joint capsule and the popliteal muscle formed by the popliteal surface (facies popliteal ).

The skin of the popliteal fossa is thin. It is innervated by the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve, on the inside and from the saphenous nerve and on the outside of the cutaneous nerve surae lateralis. Directly under the fascia of the popliteal runs the small saphenous vein.

In the popliteal fossa the sciatic nerve or its two main branches run ( tibial nerve and common fibular nerve ). The tibial nerve in the popliteal fossa draws between both Gastrocnemiusknöpfe while the peroneal nerve turns to the side and comes to the surface behind the fibula head. The major vessels are the popliteal artery and popliteal vein represents the artery divides at the exit of the knee in the posterior tibial artery and anterior. The neurovascular strand of the knee occurs when the extension of the knee shows a bead.

In the area of the knee are the popliteal lymph nodes ( lymph poplitei ).