LAUSR

Address for Correspondence: Dr. R. Vijaya, Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute, Enathur, Kanchipuram 631552, India. E-Mail: [email protected] Introduction: Popliteal artery which is the continuation of femoral artery at the adductor hiatus, gives off its terminal branches, anterior tibial artery and posterior tibial artery. Anterior tibial artery attracts clinical significance since it is vulnerable at the fibular neck during tibial osteotomy. Posterior tibial artery, felt behind the medial malleolus is utilized for arteriovenous shunt with great saphenous vein during hemodialysis and attains clinical significance. Injury to the popliteal artery causes ischemia and it warrants immediate surgical intervention to prevent compartment syndrome. Peroneal artery takes part in crural collateral circulation and this peroneal bypass is of great significance and can be utilized by vascular surgeons. Materials and Methods: Popliteal artery and its terminal branches, anterior tibial artery, posterior tibial artery, and peroneal artery were dissected out in fifty random lower limbs, made available from the dissection hall. The variations in their branching pattern, the lengths of popliteal artery from adductor hiatus to its bifurcation, its length up to femoral condyles, the length of tibioperoneal trunk, the diameters of popliteal artery, tibioperoneal trunk, anterior tibial artery, posterior tibial artery and peroneal artery were measured. Results and Conclusion: The dimensions from this study done in South Indian population were compared with similar studies across the world, like German, American, British, Africans, Turks, Japanese and Thai. This analyzed data is likely to be useful in therapeutic and interventional procedures like arterial reconstruction in femoropopliteal bypass graft, in surgeries performed around knee joint, for infra popliteal interventions as in bypass surgery.