The bilateral anatomical variation of the sural nerve and a review of relevant literature

Abstract

The sural nerve is a sensory nerve, usually formed in the distal part of the leg by the union of the lateral sural cutaneous nerve or the communicating fibular branch with the medial sural cutaneous nerve. The aim of this paper is to present a case of a variant formation of the sural nerve and a review of the literature related to this case. During the dissection of an adult male cadaver, the medial sural cutaneous nerve and communicating fibular branch, after respectively deriving from the tibial and common fibular nerve, were noticed to continue their course without any formation of a unique nerve trunk on the posterior side of both lower limbs. A transverse communicating branch, connecting these two nerves, was present in both legs. As the sural nerve is of significant diagnostic and therapeutic importance, detailed knowledge of the sural nerve's anatomy and its contributing nerves is also of great importance.