[Surgical anatomy of the popliteal fossa]

This communication provides accurate details of the surface anatomy of the popliteal space (french and latin nomenclature). The author describes the muscular reference points, and the relationships between arteries, veins and the internal and external popliteal sciatic nerve. This region has a variety of pathologies: dilatation of the venae comites, of the sapheno-popliteal junction, doubling of the femoral and femoro-popliteal, with aneurysmal dilatation; abnormal veins (popliteal space vein), aneurysm of the popliteal vein; multiple compression due to arterial and nerve structures.