RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine the anatomical course of descending genicular artery and to identify a safety zone for minimidvastus approach. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Forty-eight knees from twenty-four fresh cadavers were dissected to identify the descending genicular artery, and to measure the distance between such artery and superomedial pole of the patella as well as the entry angle of such artery to the perpendicular line of the vertical axis of the patella. RESULTS: The average distance between the descending genicular artery and superomedial pole of the patella was 8.1 millimeters (0-19 millimeters) and the average entry angle of such artery to the patella was 44.5 degrees (32-60 degrees). CONCLUSION: The safety zone for splitting the vastus medialis in minimidvastus approach was the angle of not more than 32 degrees from the perpendicular line of the vertical axis of the patella. However, there is no safety zone in term of the distance between the dissected vastus medialis and the superiormedial border of the patella.
