An occlusion of the peroneal artery would lead to vascular insufficiency of:
a. the posterior compartment of the leg
b. the plantar intinsic muscles of the foot
c. the pelvic floor
d. lateral compartment of the leg
The answer is: d. lateral compartment of the leg
Understanding the origin and route of the peroneal artery and related vessels are essential to understand the answer to this problem. The peroneal artery branches from the posterior tibial artery usually in the middle of the posterior leg. The posteror tibial artery branches from the tibial artery several inches distal to the tibial plateau where more proximally it is called the popliteal artery. After splitting from the posterial artery the peroneal artery moves laterally into the lateral compartment of the leg and provides blood to, among other structures, the peroneus longus and brevis. The branch-point of the peroneal artery from the posterior tibial artery is somewhat variable and may branch more proximally from the posterior tibial (perhaps a third of the length of the leg vs. one half) and in some cases it may even branch from the popliteal artery behind the knee.