title: The significance of tibial and common peroneal nerves in nerve blocks.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to elucidate the anatomical location of tibial nerve (TN) and common peroneal nerve (CPN) in the popliteal crease for specific nerve block.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty fresh specimens from 27 adult Korean cadavers (16 males and 11 females, age 35-87 years) were investigated. Five of the 27 cadavers were used to determine the depths of nerves in cross-section.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tibial nerve was located 50 % from the most lateral point of the popliteal crease and 1.4-cm deep to the surface. In 20 % of the 50 specimens, the medial sural cutaneous nerve branched out below or at the popliteal crease, whereas the CPN was located at 26 % from the most lateral point of the popliteal crease and 0.7-cm deep from the surface. Furthermore, in 6 % of specimens the lateral sural cutaneous nerve branched out below or at the popliteal crease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results concerning the location of the TN and CPN at the popliteal crease offer a good guide to optimal nerve block.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Konyang University of Korea, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Je-Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Be-Na
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Michael Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Xiaochun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Seung-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*