Intriguing variations of the tibial arteries and their clinical implications

Unusual course and branching pattern of the tibial arteries were discovered during routine anatomical dissection of the right lower extremity of a 61-year-old female cadaver. The arteries of the crural region arose from the popliteal artery, as usual. However, the anterior tibial artery was hypoplastic and supplying the anterior calf muscles ended above the ankle joint. Instead, the posterior tibial artery gave off a large anterior branch, which crossed the lowest portion of the interosseous membrane and prolonged as the most distal continuation of the anterior tibial artery –the dorsalis pedis artery. The rest of the posterior tibial artery continued its course distally and divided into the usual medial and lateral plantar arteries. We briefly review the reported variations of the tibial arteries and discussed their clinical relevance.