Anatomical variations in the cutaneous innervation on the dorsum of the foot

Generally among the branches of common peroneal nerve, the superficial peroneal nerve provides cutaneous innervation to major part of the dorsum of the foot whereas the deep peroneal nerve innervates the skin over the first interdigital cleft region. The sural and saphenous nerves supplies the smaller lateral and medial margins of the dorsum respectively. The present study has been taken to classify the patterns of innervations of the nerves on the dorsum of the foot in South Indian population. A total of 40 formalin fixed lower limbs from 20 adult cadavers (15 males, 5 females) aged between 35 to 60 years were dissected and the branching patterns of nerves on the dorsum of the foot were noted and specimens were photographed. Gross anatomical variations were noted in the branching pattern of superficial peroneal, deep peroneal and sural nerve on the dorsum of foot. Results obtained in our study were classified into four groups. The cutaneous nerves are at risk of iatrogenic injuries during surgeries involving ankle, open reduction and internal fixation of fracture, arthroscopy etc. Knowledge of such anatomical variations of the nerves provides information to clinicians to avoid injury to them in real clinical situations.