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.