High Sural Nerve Trifurcation: A Rare Anatomical Variation

Area of Science:

• Anatomy
• Surgical Anatomy
• Lower Extremity Anatomy

Background:

• The sural nerve is crucial for sensation in the foot and commonly encountered in ankle surgeries.
• Understanding its precise location and course is vital to prevent iatrogenic neurological deficits.

Observation:

• A rare anatomical variation of the sural nerve was identified.
• The sural nerve trifurcated proximal to the lateral malleolus.

Findings:

• This trifurcation pattern is an unusual deviation from the typical sural nerve anatomy.
• The variation was discovered incidentally during internal fixation of a trimalleolar ankle fracture.

Implications:

• Increased awareness of this sural nerve variation can help surgeons avoid potential nerve damage.
• This case report contributes to the understanding of sural nerve anomalies in surgical planning.