Patellar network

Patellar network
Circumpatellar anastomosis.
Details
Identifiers
Latin	Rete patellare, anastomosis patellaris, rete articulare genus
Dorlands /Elsevier	r_10/12705378
TA	A12.2.16.040 A12.2.16.041
FMA	44676
Anatomical terminology []

The patellar network (circulatory anastomosis around the knee-joint, patellar anastomosis, genicular anastomosis, articular vascular network of knee or rete articulare genus) is an intricate network of vessels around and above the patella, and on the contiguous ends of the femur and tibia, forming a superficial and a deep plexus.

The arteries which form this plexus are the inferior medial and superior medial genicular arteries, the inferior lateral and superior lateral genicular arteries, the descending genicular artery, the descending branch of lateral femoral circumflex artery, and the anterior tibial recurrent artery.

The genicular anastomosis provides collateral circulation to supply the leg when the knee is fully flexed.

When the knee suffers a popliteal aneurysm, if the femoral artery has to be ligated surgically, blood can still reach the popliteal artery distal to the ligation via the genicular anastomosis. However, if flow in the femoral artery of a normal leg is suddenly disrupted, blood flow distally is rarely sufficient. The reason for this is the fact that the genicular anastomosis is only present in a minority of individuals and is always undeveloped when disease in the femoral artery is absent.