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The communicating branches between the sural and superficial peroneal nerves in the foot: a review of 55 cases

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy volume 26, pages 447–452 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

The rich sensory innervation of the ankle and foot is manifest through the numerous communicating branches linking the neural trunks, particularly the superficial peroneal and sural nerves on the anterolateral aspect of the hindfoot. The 35 communicating branches seen in 55 dissections (58%) were proximal in half of the cases, lying in the malleolar and lateral tarsal regions, and distal in the other half, in the metatarsal region. The communicating branch was straight in 25 cases and curved in 11. The average distances of the communicating branch from the crest of the lateral malleolus and the tubercle of the 5th metatarsal was 4.7 and 4.1 cm, but there was a wide range of values. We believe that stretching of the proximal communicating branch during forced inversion of the ankle and/or foot or during fractures of the calcaneus or direct injury in surgical approaches or arthroscopy of the ankle may lead to unexplained pre- and submalleolar pain. Advances in modern imaging may allow recognition of these branches and guidance of infiltration and even neurolysis in cases of failure of conservative treatment.

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Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d’Anatomie, Faculté de Médecine, Pôle Recherche, Place de Verdun, 59045 , Lille, France

    A. Drizenko, X. Demondion, F. Luyckx & H. Mestdagh

  2. Service d’Orthopédie A, Hôpital Roger Salengro, CHRU de Lille, 59037 , Lille, France

    X. Demondion, H. Mestdagh & X. Cassagnaud

  3. Service de Radiologie ostéo-articulaire, Hôpital Roger Salengro, CHRU de Lille, 59037 , Lille, France

    X. Demondion

Authors
  1. A. Drizenko
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  2. X. Demondion
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  3. F. Luyckx
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  4. H. Mestdagh
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  5. X. Cassagnaud
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Correspondence to H. Mestdagh.

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Drizenko, A., Demondion, X., Luyckx, F. et al. The communicating branches between the sural and superficial peroneal nerves in the foot: a review of 55 cases. Surg Radiol Anat 26, 447–452 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-004-0264-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-004-0264-9

Keywords

  • Sural nerve
  • Superficial peroneal nerve
  • Communicating branches
  • Ankle
  • Inversion