A Case Report on the Variant Origin of the Right Posterior Tibial Artery in 65 Years Donated Embalmed Male Cadaver

Abstract

During routine dissection for first MBBS students on 65 years donated embalmed male cadaver in the Department of Anatomy, K.J.Somaiya Medical College, we observed the high origin of the posterior tibial artery from the popliteal artery proximal to the popliteus muscle. The posterior tibial artery ran downward on the posterior surface of the popliteus muscle. The anterior peroneotibial trunk distal to the tendinous arch of soleus muscle divides into the anterior tibial and the peroneal arteries. The further course of anterior, posterior tibial and peroneal arteries was normal. The photographs of the variations were taken for proper documentation and ready reference. There were no associated neuromuscular variations found in same specimen. The right lower limb of the same cadaver was normal.
Conclusion:
The arthroscopic knee surgery is a convenient and preferred surgical procedure. The knowledge of branching pattern of popliteal artery is important for surgical interventions in the popliteal region in order to minimize the surgical complications due to anatomical variations. Therefore the origin of the posterior tibial artery from the popliteal artery proximal to the popliteus muscle is an important anatomical variation which should be kept in mind by the orthopaedicians doing knee joint surgery and total knee arthroplasty, by the surgeons operating on aneurysms of popliteal artery and by the radiologist performing angiographic study.