Gerdy's tubercle explained

Gerdy's tubercle
Latin:	tuberculum anterolaterale

Gerdy's tubercle is a lateral tubercle of the tibia, located where the iliotibial tract inserts. It was named after French surgeon Pierre Nicolas Gerdy (1797–1856).

Gerdy's tubercle is a smooth facet on the lateral aspect of the upper part of the tibia, just below the knee joint and adjacent to the proximal tibio-fibular joint, where the iliotibial tract runs down the outside part of the thigh. It is the point of insertion for the iliotibial band of the lateral thigh.^[1]

It is used as a site for the insertion of a periosteal needle by which intramedullary fluids may be infused in neonates. It can be fractured along with the tibial tuberosity.^[2] It has been used as a source for bone grafts.^[3]

The peroneal nerve runs near to it.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Book: Starkey, Chad. Examination of Orthopedic and Athletic Injuries . 3rd . F.A. Davis. 2009. 978-93-5025-351-9. Philadelphia . 298.
2. 10.1007/s00167-006-0213-8 . 17024477 . An en bloc avulsion fracture of tibial tuberosity and Gerdy's tubercle in an adolescent basketball player: A case report . Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy . 15 . 6 . 781–5 . 2006 . Yoo . Jae Ho . Hahn . Sung Ho . Yang . Bo Kyu . Yi . Seung Rim . Ahn . Young Joon . Yoon . Dong Jin . Kim . Jin Hong .
3. 10.1016/j.jhsa.2005.07.011 . 16443119 . Gerdy's Tubercle as a Source of Cancellous Bone Graft for Surgery of the Upper Extremity: Description of Technique . The Journal of Hand Surgery . 31 . 1 . 147–9 . 2006 . Brutus . Jean-Paul . Loftus . Jon B. .
4. 15292408. Anatomic location of the peroneal nerve at the level of the proximal aspect of the tibia: Gerdy's safe zone. 2004. Rubel. I. F.. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. American Volume. 86-A. 8. 1625–8. Schwarzbard. I. Leonard. A. Cece. D.