Lateral Knee Exposures

Most surgical exposures of the lateral knee require splitting the iliotibial tract. Lateral arthrotomies can be made in the anterior, middle, or posterior thirds of the lateral capsule. The common peroneal nerve, which runs along the inner edge of the biceps femoris tendon and crosses the neck of the fibula, is at risk with lateral exposures. When exposing the posterior lateral femoral condyle in the “over-the-top” approach, a branch of the lateral superior genicular artery should be securely ligated. The lateral inferior genicular artery is at risk along the periphery of the lateral meniscus.