The popliteal fossa is a diamond shaped area located on the posterior aspect of the knee. It is the main path by which vessels and nerves pass between the thigh and the leg.

In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the popliteal fossa – its borders, contents and clinical correlations.

Borders
 

The popliteal fossa is diamond shaped with four borders. These borders are formed by the muscles in the posterior compartment of the leg and thigh:

Greater and Lesser Curvatures

The medial and lateral borders of the stomach are curved, forming the lesser and greater curvatures:

A meniscus is a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous anatomical structure that, in contrast to an articular disc, only partly divides a joint cavity. In humans they are present in the knee, wrist, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular joints; in other animals they may be present in other joints.

The fetal spleen is lobulated, and these lobules normally disappear before the birth. Lobulation of the spleen may persist into adult life and be typically seen along the medial part of the spleen. A persisting lobule results in a variation in shape of the spleen.

The larynx (voice box) is an organ located in the anterior neck. It is a component of the respiratory tract, and has several important functions, including phonation, the cough reflex, and protection of the lower respiratory tract.

The structure of the larynx is primarily cartilaginous, and is held together by a series of ligaments and membranes. Internally, the laryngeal muscles move components of the larynx for phonation and breathing.