Dorlands/Elsevier a_61/12156393 | ||
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Branches post. tibial recurrentant. tibial recurrentmusc. branchesant. medial malleolarant. lateral malleolardorsalis pedis Latin arteria tibialis anterior | ||
The anterior tibial artery of the leg carries blood to the anterior compartment of the leg and dorsal surface of the foot, from the popliteal artery.
Contents
It is accompanied the anterior tibial vein, along its course.
It crosses the anterior aspect of the ankle joint, at which point it becomes the dorsalis pedis artery.
Course
The artery originates at the distal end of the popliteus muscle posterior to the tibia. The artery typically passes anterior to the popliteus muscle prior to passing between the tibia and fibula through an oval opening at the superior aspect of the interosseus membrane. The artery then descends between the tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus muscles.
Branches
The branches of the anterior tibial artery are:
Clinical importance
As the artery passes medial to the fibular neck it becomes vulnerable to damage during a tibial osteotomy.