Posterior tibial artery

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Artery: Posterior tibial artery
Back of left lower extremity, showing surface markings for bones, vessels, and nerves. (Posterior tibial artery labeled at bottom right.)
Latin arteria tibialis posterior
Gray's subject #162 637
Source popliteal artery   
Branches fibular artery, medial plantar artery, lateral plantar artery
Vein posterior tibial vein
Dorlands
/ Elsevier
    
a_61/12156400

The posterior tibial artery of the lower limb carries blood to the posterior compartment of the leg and plantar surface of the foot, from the popliteal artery. It is accompanied by a deep vein, the posterior tibial vein, along its course.

Contents

[edit] Branches

It typically gives rise to the fibular artery.[1]

It also gives rise to medial plantar artery and lateral plantar artery.

In addition a calcaneal branch to the medial aspect of the calcaneus.

[edit] Palpation of the posterior tibial artery pulse

The posterior tibial artery pulse can be readily palpated posterior and inferior to the medial malleolus and is often examined by physicians when assessing a patient for peripheral vascular disease. It is very rarely absent in young and healthy individuals; in a study of 547 healthy individuals only one person did not have a palpable posterior tibial artery.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Day C, Orme R (2006). "Popliteal artery branching patterns -- an angiographic study". Clin Radiol 61 (8): 696–9. doi:10.1016/j.crad.2006.03.014. PMID 16843754. 
  2. ^ Robertson GS, Ristic CD, Bullen BR. The incidence of congenitally absent foot pulses. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 1990 Mar;72(2):99-100. PMID 2185683.

[edit] Additional images

[edit] External links

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