Variation in the Formation of Sural Nerve - A Case Report

Sural nerve is a sensory nerve, which supplies the skin of the posterolateral aspect of the distal third of leg, lateral malleolus, along the lateral side of foot and little toe. The sural nerve's anatomy is broadly studied in man, because it is one of the most frequently used sensory nerves in transplantation. The aim of the paper is to present a case of variant formation of the sural nerve and review of literature related to this case. Here is an unusual type of formation of sural nerve is reported. In this case, the medial sural cutaneous nerve and lateral sural cutaneous nerve were noticed to continue their course without any formation of a unique nerve trunk on the posterior side of left leg of 50 year old male cadaver. A transverse communicating branch connecting these two nerves was present. As the sural nerve is of significant diagnostic and therapeutic importance, detailed knowledge of the sural nerve's anatomy and its contributing nerve is also of great importance.