In case of popliteal artery injury as in knee dislocation, or repair of a popliteal artery aneurysm, the dissection can be done in an elegant way through a posterior approach.
Here are the main steps of the procedure:
- Patient face-down
- S-shape incision
- Longitudinal incision of the fascia
- Recognition of the borders of the popliteal fossa (diamond-shape): Calf (lateral and medial heads of the gastrocnemius) – Thigh (biceps femurs laterally, and hemi-tendinosus medially)
- Main elements: tibial nerve (superiorly), popliteal vein (middle), popliteal artery (bottom)
- The tibial nerve and the popliteal vein should be carefully retracted medially in order to let the popliteal artery be exposed laterally.
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Check the following paper(s):