sural nerve (short or external saphenous nerve)

Function: - purely sensory - cutaneous innervation of the foot Origin: 1) formed at mid calf from joining of: a) medial sural cutaneous nerve (tibial nerve) b) communicating branch of the common fibular (peroneal) nerve 2) highly variable Branches: - lateral dorsal cutaneous nerve Course: - accompanies the small saphenous vein around the lateral malleolus at the ankle to the dorsum of the foot as the lateral dorsal cutaneous nerve Clinical significance: - sural nerve is generally preferred specimen for nerve biopsy - see sural nerve biopsy

References

Stedman's Medical Dictionary 27th ed, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999