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Anatomical relationship between the proximal tibia and posterior neurovascular structures: a safe zone for surgeries
Dejin Yang1, Yixin Zhou, Qiheng Tang
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Fourth Clinical College of Peking University, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to provide a quantitative description of the anatomical relationship between the proximal tibia and posterior neurovascular structures to delineate a safe zone for tibial surgery. We measured the distance between the tibial cortex and neurovascular structures, and the width of the medial/lateral part of the tibia without neurovascular structures, using magnetic resonance imaging data of 50 knees. The average distance was <10 mm. Neurovascular structures passed just lateral to the posterior middle line of the tibia, with major branches passing laterally at 5.5 to 6 cm below the joint line. There was a safe zone posterior to the medial half of the tibia for penetration of the posterior cortex.
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