Predictability of Lower Extremity Peripheral Nervous Anatomy

Area of Science:

• Anatomy
• Orthopedics
• Surgical Anatomy

Background:

• Lower extremity peripheral nerve anatomy exhibits considerable variability.
• Understanding these anatomical variations is crucial for surgical procedures and accurate landmark identification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the anatomical relationships of key lower extremity peripheral nerves to defined bony landmarks.
• To quantify the variability and identify correlations between nerve positions and skeletal dimensions.

Main Methods:

• Dissection of sixteen preserved lower extremities.
• Standardized measurement of nerve positions relative to anatomical landmarks.
• Statistical analysis, including Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC), to assess relationships.

Main Results:

• The sciatic nerve division point showed a strong correlation with femur length (PCC D 0.764).
• The superficial peroneal nerve's fascial penetration correlated with fibular length (PCC D 0.718).
• The deep peroneal nerve's emergence point also showed correlation with fibular length (PCC D 0.530).

Conclusions:

• Despite observed variability, lower extremity peripheral nerve courses demonstrate significant correlation with femur and fibula length.
• These findings provide valuable anatomical data for surgical navigation and clinical practice.