The lateral superior genicular artery is one of several blood vessels supplying the knee. It arises from the lateral side of popliteal artery. First, it extends laterally, running under the distal portion of the biceps femoris muscle. Then it travels anteriorly as it curves around and above the lateral condyle of the femur bone, hugging it.
When it has reached the frontal aspect of knee, the lateral superior genicular artery divides into several smaller branches, just above the patella. These smaller branches anastomose with other arterial branches to become part of the knee-joint vascular network.
The lateral superior genicular artery supplies the vastus lateralis muscle and the lower part of femur, forming an anastomotic arch across the front of this bone with the highest genicular and the medial inferior genicular arteries.
Below, image of arteries that supply the knee, showing the femoral, the descending genicular, the popliteal, and the lateral superior genicular artery. It is an anterior (frontal) aspect drawing, as you can see the popliteal running down behind the knee-joint.
