Anatomical study of the popliteofibular ligament and surrounding structures.

Abstract

Although the popliteofibular ligament (PFL) is an important posterolateral structure of the knee joint, the anatomical characteristics of this ligament remain unclear. We morphologically classified and measured the PFLs from 78 cadaver knees. The PFL was observed in all knees, and it was classified into type I (with one layer) or type II (with two layers). The mean lengths of the anterior and posterior margins were 12.7 and 6.8 mm, respectively; and the mean width and thickness were 10.4 mm and 2.1 mm, respectively. The PFL inclined forward at a mean sagittal angle of 20.7 degrees, which is similar to the 21.2 degrees of the posterior cruciate ligament, indicating that the PFL contributed to posterolateral rotatory stability.