| popliteal space | The diamond-shaped space posterior to the knee joint bounded superficially by the diverging biceps femoris and semimembranosus muscles above and inferiorly by the two heads of the gastrocnemius muscle; deeply, the fossa is bound superiorly by the diverging supracondylar lines of the femur and the soleal line of the tibia inferiorly. Contents: tibial nerve, popliteal artery, vein, fat. Synonym: fossa poplitea, poples, ham, popliteal region, popliteal space, popliteus. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| popliteal surface of femur | The posterior surface of the lower end of the femur between the diverging lips of the linea aspera. Synonym: facies poplitea femoris, planum popliteum, popliteal plane of femur. (05 Mar 2000) |
| popliteal vein | <anatomy, vein> The vein formed by the union of the anterior and posterior tibial veins; it courses through the popliteal space and becomes the femoral vein. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cyst, synovial, of the popliteal space | A swelling in the space behind the knee (the popliteal space). The swelling is composed of a membrane-lined sac filled with synovial fluid that has escaped from the joint. Commonly called Baker's cyst. (12 Dec 1998) |
| syndrome, popliteal pterygium | An inherited condition with a web behind the knee. (a pterygium is a winglike triangular membrane.) (12 Dec 1998) |
| synovial cyst, popliteal | A swelling in the space behind the knee (the popliteal space). The swelling is composed of a membrane-lined sac filled with synovial fluid that has escaped from the joint. Commonly called baker's cyst. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oblique popliteal ligament | <anatomy> Reflected tendon of insertion of semimembranous muscle; a fibrous band that extends across the back of the knee from its separation from the direct tendon of insertion on the medial condyle of the tibia to the lateral condyle of the femur. Synonym: ligamentum popliteum obliquum, Bourgery's ligament. (05 Mar 2000) |
| lateral popliteal nerve | <anatomy, nerve> One of the terminal divisions of the sciatic nerve, diverging from the tibial nerve at the upper end of the popliteal fossa, then coursing with the biceps tendon along the lateral portion of the popliteal space to wind around the neck of the fibula where it divides into the superficial and deep peroneal nerves. The common peroneal nerve, or its deep branch, is the most commonly injured nerve, being located in a lateral subcutaneous position at the fibular neck; a lesion causes a loss of ability to dorsiflex the foot ("foot drop"). Synonym: nervus fibularis communis, nervus peroneus communis, common fibular nerve, lateral popliteal nerve. (05 Mar 2000) |