New Patterns of the Popliteal Artery and its Branches in Thais

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the anatomical patterns of popliteal artery (PA) in terms of normal and variation patterns in Thais. Two hundred and thirty legs of preserved human cadavers were dissected, and the pattern of PA and its branches were identified by Kim’s classification. Pattern I-A was mostly found (88.7%), pattern I-B (modified) found 0.4%, pattern I-C (modified) found 4.8%, pattern II-A1and pattern II-B found 0.9%, pattern II-A2 found 1.3% and pattern II-D (modified) no result in Thais. Two newer patterns were found: pattern new-1 found 0.9%, and pattern new-2 found 2.2%. Compared between genders and sides, all variations showed no significant difference. Regarding undertaking operative or interventional procedures within the leg, this knowledge could be applied to prevent complications during the surgical approach or percutaneous vascular assessment and might be one of the references of variation of these vessels in Thais.