Poplița

Poplița is a term used in anatomy to refer to the area located at the back of the knee. This region is also known as the popliteal fossa, which is a shallow depression found at the posterior aspect of the knee joint. The popliteal fossa is an important anatomical area as it contains several vital structures, including nerves, blood vessels, and lymph nodes.

Anatomy

The popliteal fossa is bounded by several muscles:

• Superiorly, it is bordered by the biceps femoris muscle on the lateral side and the semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles on the medial side.
• Inferiorly, it is bordered by the gastrocnemius muscle, with its medial and lateral heads.

Contents

The popliteal fossa contains several important structures:

• The popliteal artery, which is a continuation of the femoral artery and supplies blood to the lower leg.
• The popliteal vein, which drains blood from the lower leg and continues as the femoral vein.
• The tibial nerve, which is a branch of the sciatic nerve and innervates the muscles of the posterior compartment of the leg.
• The common fibular nerve, another branch of the sciatic nerve, which innervates the muscles of the anterior and lateral compartments of the leg.
• The small saphenous vein, which drains into the popliteal vein.
• Several lymph nodes that are part of the lymphatic system.

Clinical Significance

The popliteal fossa is clinically significant due to its contents. Injuries or conditions affecting this area can lead to complications such as:

• Popliteal artery aneurysm, which can cause compression of surrounding structures.
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which can occur in the popliteal vein.
• Baker's cyst, a fluid-filled cyst that can cause swelling and discomfort in the popliteal fossa.

Related Pages

• Knee
• Femoral artery
• Sciatic nerve
• Gastrocnemius muscle
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Baker's cyst