Blood Vessels of the Knee, Medial View

Description

Medial to the patella, the femoral artery continues as the popliteal artery deep within the popliteal fossa, giving rise to the superior medial and inferior medial genicular arteries that wrap anteriorly around the distal femur and proximal tibia. Companion veins course alongside the arteries in blue, draining toward the popliteal vein. Superficial and deep layers are distinguished by the medial quadriceps (vastus medialis) anteriorly, the sartorius and gracilis crossing proximally, and the semitendinosus tendon and pes anserinus inserting on the anteromedial tibia. Bone landmarks of the medial femoral condyle and medial tibial plateau frame the joint line, with the medial collateral ligament spanning between them. Medial genicular vasculature matters because it is the main conduit for periarticular perfusion when the knee is flexed and the popliteal artery is angulated, and it becomes a practical surgical map during medial parapatellar arthrotomy, MCL repair, and hamstring tendon harvest. A small vessel in the wrong place can ruin a field. This angle also clarifies why medial approaches risk injury to the saphenous nerve and its accompanying great saphenous vein near the pes anserinus, and why genicular branches are targeted in endovascular embolization for recurrent hemarthrosis after total knee arthroplasty. Orthopedic and sports medicine teaching benefits from this plate when explaining the vascular basis of wound healing around the anteromedial tibia, graft harvest morbidity, and the periarticular arcade that supports collateral flow in peripheral arterial disease. It also fits surgical atlases, MSK anatomy labs, and interventional radiology primers that cover genicular artery embolization and angiographic orientation in the knee. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.