The Extra-osseous and Intra-osseous Blood Supply of the Talus

Abstract

The talus is supplied with blood by the three main arteries of the leg through a periosteal vascular network and also by two discrete vessels, the artery of the tarsal sinus arising from the dorsolateral arteries and the artery of the tarsal canal arising from the posterior tibial artery. At dissection an artery of the tarsal sinus was found in five specimens, and an artery of the tarsal canal was found in thirteen specimens. The intra-osseous vascular pattern was visible in all specimens after decalcification, sectioning, and clearing by the Spalteholz technique. The head is supplied by vessels entering from the superior surface of the neck and the inferolateral aspect of the neck which faces the tarsal sinus. The body is mainly supplied by vessels which enter antero-inferiorly through the neck of the talus and by vessels which enter through the medial surface below the articular facet. Smaller vessels enter the body from the superior surface of the neck, the anterolateral surface of the body, and the posterior tubercle.