Vascular supply of the equine stifle joint.

The vascular supply of the equine stifle joint was investigated, using latex vascular injections of pelvic limbs from 3 adult horses and 6 ponies. Vessels were grossly dissected to the small arteriole level. The primary source of blood supply was the femoral artery and its branches which entered the joint on the caudal and medial surfaces. The superficial vasculature arose from the caudal branch of the deep circumflex iliac artery cranially and laterally, and from the saphenous and descending genicular arteries medially. The deep vasculature arose from the popliteal artery and its branches on the caudal joint surface. These 2 layers of vessels arborized to form the vascular rete which surrounded the joint and gave off branches to supply the articular capsule and the intraarticular structures. Venous drainage paralleled arterial pathways.