title: Formation of the sural nerve in foetal cadavers.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to provide a morphologic description and assessment  on the formation level of the sural nerve (SN) and its components. Also  we aimed to reveal histological features of the SN components. An anatomical  study of the formation of the SN was carried out on 100 limbs from 50 embalmed  foetuses. The results showed that the SN was formed by the union of  the medial sural cutaneous nerve (MSCN) and the peroneal communicating  branch (PCB) in 71% of the cases (Type A); the MSCN and PCB are branches of  the tibial and common peroneal nerve (CPN) or lateral sural cutaneous nerves  (LSCN), respectively. Formation level of the SN was at the distal third of the leg  in 43% of the cases, at the middle third of the leg in 46% of the cases, and at  the upper third of the leg in 11% of the cases. The PCB originated in the CPN in  68% and the PCB originated in the LSCN in 3% of the cases. The SN was  formed only by the MSCN in 20% of the cases (Type B). Type C was divided into  four subgroups: in the first group the PCB and fibres of the posterior femoral  cutaneous nerve joined the MSCN in 4% of cases; in the second group the  MSCN, PCB, and sciatic nerve did not unite and coursed separately in 1% of  cases; in the third group the SN arose directly from the sciatic nerve alone and  the MSCN made a little contribution in 2% of cases; and in the fourth group  the PCB, fibres of the sciatic nerve, and the MSCN formed the SN in 1% of the  cases. The SN was formed only by the PCB in 1% of the cases (Type D). Distances  of the formation level of the SN to the intercondylar line and the lateral  malleolus were measured and also noted. A detailed knowledge of the anatomy  of the SN and its contributing nerves are important in many interventional  procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey. soneralbay@yahoo.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Albay
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sakalli
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kastamoni
authors.forename: I Aydin
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Candan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kocabiyik
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000196:embryology*; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology