A CADAVERIC STUDY OF COMMON PERONEAL NERVE IN RELATION TO FIBULAR TUNNEL

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The common peroneal nerve is major lateral division of the sciatic nerve supplies lateral and anterior compartment of leg, when injured may leads to debilitating conditions such as foot drop and sensory loss or numbness in its supplied area. Common peroneal nerve's position subjects it to nerve injuries at two places one behind the knee joint where the nerve is superficial and other being the course of nerve through the fibular tunnel where its being tugged between musculo-aponeurotic fibers of peroneus longus muscle. Nerve injuries to common peroneal nerve has been attributed to several factors depending upon its anatomical position such as this may be due to sudden weight loss, prolonged sitting in squatting position, meniscus injuries in athletes or whether it is any surgical procedures involving the upper part of tibia and fibula. MATERIAL & METHODS: In present study we examine 70 lower limbs equally of right and left sides, the course, branching pattern and other reference point distances were measured with the help of metallic scale and dissections were photograph. RESULT: In 60% cases nerve separate from sciatic at the apex of popliteal fossa and in 80% cases it passes through the groove and then in about 70% specimen it passes through fibular tunnel, where it remains on an average 1.33 cm below the fibular head. The average distance of the nerve division was found 2.73 cm and just below that at a distance of 4.29 cm the nerve is in close contact with the bone. CONCLUSION: In present study we have observed average 7 muscular branches with variable origin from the common peroneal nerve in fibular tunnel which are likely to be damaged during surgical incision at this site.