Anterior tibial artery

The anterior tibial artery is an artery of the leg. It carries blood to the anterior compartment of the leg and dorsal surface of the foot, from the popliteal artery.

Structure

Course

The anterior tibial artery is a branch of the popliteal artery. It 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.

It is accompanied by the anterior tibial vein, and the deep peroneal nerve, along its course.

It crosses the anterior aspect of the ankle joint, at which point it becomes the dorsalis pedis artery.

Branches

The branches of the anterior tibial artery are:

• posterior tibial recurrent artery
• anterior tibial recurrent artery
• muscular branches
• anterior medial malleolar artery
• anterior lateral malleolar artery
• dorsalis pedis artery

Clinical significance

As the artery passes medial to the fibular neck, it becomes vulnerable to damage during a tibial osteotomy.

Additional images

References

External links

• Anatomy figure: 12:04-15 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Arteries of the lower extremity shown in association with major landmarks."
• http://www.dartmouth.edu/~humananatomy/figures/chapter_15/15-10.HTM Archived 2020-02-20 at the Wayback Machine
• http://www.dartmouth.edu/~humananatomy/figures/chapter_17/17-3.HTM Archived 2008-01-17 at the Wayback Machine

1. Anterior tibial recurrent artery
2. Popliteal artery
3. Fibular artery
4. Dorsalis pedis artery
5. Anterior tibial vein
6. List of arteries of the human body
7. Anterior compartment of leg
8. Anterior tibial
9. Posterior tibial artery
10. Tibial arteries
11. Tibial-fibular trunk
12. Tibialis anterior muscle
13. List of anatomy mnemonics
14. Circumflex fibular artery
15. Fibularis muscles
16. Tibial
17. Anterior lateral malleolar artery
18. Deep fibular nerve
19. Posterior tibial recurrent artery
20. Anterior medial malleolar artery