Sciatic Nerve Intercommunications: New Finding

Communicating branches between the tibial and common fibular divisions of the sciatic nerve have not been previously described. The aim of our study was to examine such neural connections.

Twenty unembalmed adult cadavers underwent dissection of the sciatic nerve. Observations were made for interneural communications between the tibial and common fibular divisions of this nerve. When present, these were measured and classified.

The majority of sides (75%) had neural communications between the parts of the sciatic nerve in the gluteal/posterior thigh regions before the normal bifurcation of the nerve just above the knee. These connections were always within 20 cm of the greater sciatic notch. Most connections were represented by Testut intercommunicating branches types A (14 sides), F (8 sides), and D (2 sides). Most sides were found to have 1 location for sciatic nerve intercommunications. However, 4 sides (13%) had multiple locations (up to 3) for these intercommunications. The mean length of the communications was 4.1 cm, and the mean diameter was 2.4 mm. No statistically significant difference was found between sides or sexes.

To our knowledge, neural interconnections between the divisions of the sciatic nerve in the posterior thigh have not been described in the extant literature. Such data might help explain unusual neurologic examinations and alert the surgeon as to the potential for encountering such connections at operation.