Lower limb
Sural nerve
Nervus suralis
- Origin
- Formed in the distal calf by the union of the medial sural cutaneous nerve (tibial) and fibular communicating branch (common fibular)
- Insertion
- Descends the posterolateral calf alongside the small saphenous vein, curves behind the lateral malleolus, and continues as the lateral dorsal cutaneous nerve along the lateral border of the foot
- Function
- Pure sensory supply to the posterolateral leg, lateral heel (lateral calcaneal branches), lateral malleolus, and lateral margin of foot and fifth digit
- Innervation
- Pure sensory nerve (S1–S2)
- Movement & chain
- Subcutaneous course intimately related to the small saphenous vein
- Palpation
- Palpable as a mobile cord behind the lateral malleolus
- Clinical
- Gold standard donor nerve for autologous interpositional nerve grafts worldwide; susceptible to iatrogenic injury during small saphenous vein surgery and Achilles tendon repair
- Segmental innervation
- S1–S2 spinal segments
- In clinical practice
- Universal donor for peripheral nerve repair; patients must be counseled regarding permanent numbness over the lateral foot border
- Region in the model
- Lower limb