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Popliteal hiatus of the lateral meniscus

Anatomy and measurement at dissection of 10 specimens

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois

Douglas B. Mains, M.D.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois

The popliteal hiatus is the opening defined by the fascicles of the lateral meniscus, which permits the popliteal tendon to pursue its course from the tibia to its femoral attachment. The medial border of the popliteal hiatus is the body of the meniscus. Ten fresh-frozen knee specimens from human adult males (with no evidence of previous surgery to the knees) were dissected. The joints were disarticulated so that only the lateral structures remained intact. The perimeter of the meniscal attachment anterior to the hiatus measured 4.2 ± 0.3 cm, and the perimeter posterior to the hiatus measured 3.4 ± 0.5 cm. The total perimeter of the lateral meniscus was 8.9 ± 0.7 cm. The length of the superior fascicle of the lateral meniscus was 0.9 ± 0.2 cm. In this series, the length of the hiatus was 1.3 ± 0.1 cm. The anatomy of the popliteal hiatus was constant. The popliteal hiatus is an anatomical structure and must be differentiated from pathologic lesions common to the same area.

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