Racial variations in sciatic nerve anatomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Anatomy
• Human Anatomy
• Nerve Anatomy

Background:

• The sciatic nerve (SN), the longest nerve, exhibits anatomical variations.
• These variations are linked to embryological development and show geographical differences.
• Previous studies have overlooked the impact of race on sciatic nerve variations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review global data on sciatic nerve variations.
• To evaluate the impact of race on the prevalence of sciatic nerve variations.
• To identify geographical and regional differences in sciatic nerve variations.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature.
• Literature search conducted across PubMed, Google Scholar, Hinari, and anatomical journals.
• Subgroup analyses performed by race, region, and country using a random-effects model.

Main Results:

• Sciatic nerve variations (excluding the normal Type A) occurred in 14% of limbs.
• Prevalence of variations showed no significant differences across racial groups (Asians 15%, Whites 12%, Blacks 13%) or continents.
• Highest prevalence observed in East Asia, specifically China (35%) and Japan (32%), indicating significant regional variation.

Conclusions:

• Modest, non-significant differences in sciatic nerve variation prevalence exist across broad racial and continental groups.
• Substantial regional variations were observed, with East Asian countries showing the highest prevalence.
• Regional factors appear to play a more significant role in sciatic nerve variations than racial factors.