title: Microsurgical anatomy of the extra-articular segment of middle genicular artery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Knowledge of the incompletely studied microsurgical anatomy of the extracapsular part of the middle genicular artery (MGA) could imply an educational value and clinical significance because of the possible risk of injury during knee surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty formol-fixed cadaveric lower limbs in full extension were dissected and used for the measurements of MGA parameters. A second group of measurements was performed on distal ends of 30 adult femurs. Two fresh injected cadaveric lower limbs were explored by means of multidetector computed tomographic angiography (MDCTA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MGA originated from the popliteal artery (PA), facing the lateral half of the intercondylar fossa in 16 (53.4 %) specimens, together with the superior lateral genicular artery (SLGA) in ten (33.3 %) cases, or from the same point of origin with SLGA and superior medial genicular artery (SMGA) in 4 (13.3 %) cases. The MGA averaged 15.6 mm in length and 1.8 mm in the outer diameter. After its curved direction the MGA entered the posterior capsule. The average distances of the point of MGA entrance into the joint capsule were as follows: to the lateral femoral epicondyle it was 34.88 mm, to the medial femoral epicondyle 46.38 mm, 5.74 mm lateral to the posterior midline, with an average vertical distance to the femoral subcondylar plane of 28.73 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This detailed anatomical examination with measurements of the extracapsular part of a MGA could be of clinical importance and useful in knee surgery for the prevention of vascular injury of MGA and PA, as well as in radiological examination of the knee region.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery "Banjica", University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Blagojević
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery "Banjica", University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vukomanović
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kadija
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery "Banjica", University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Vladan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stevanović
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Radovan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manojlović
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Danica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Džinović
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory for Vascular Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University of Belgrade, Dr. Subotića 4/2, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nikolić
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular Physiology and Metabolism, Anatomy Sector, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Bojan V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Štimec
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory for Vascular Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University of Belgrade, Dr. Subotića 4/2, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia. milmili@eunet.rs.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milisavljević
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery; D057772:Vascular System Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
keywords: Arterial position; Interepicondylar distance; Middle genicular artery; Popliteal artery