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Variations in sural nerve formation and course in fetuses

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Abstract

To investigate variations regarding the formation and course of the sural nerve (SN). We dissected 60 formalin-fixed Brazilian fetuses (n = 120 lower limbs) aged from the 16th to 34th weeks of gestational age. Three incisions were made in the leg to expose the SN, and the gastrocnemius muscle was retracted to investigate the SN course. Statistical analyses regarding laterality and sex were performed using the Chi-square test. Eight SN formation patterns were classified after analysis. Type 4 (in which the SN is formed by the union of the MSCN with the LSCN) was the most common SN formation pattern. Although there was no statistical association between the formation patterns and the lower limb laterality (p = 0.9725), there was as to sex (p = 0.03973), indicating an association between anatomical variation and sex. The site of branch joining was in the distal leg most time (53.75%). In all lower limbs, the SN or its branches crossed from the medial aspect of the leg to the lateral margin of the calcaneal tendon (CT). Most often, the SN is formed by joining the MSCN and the LSCN in the distal leg. The SN or its branches ran close to the saphenous vein, crossed the CT from medial to lateral, and distributed around the lateral malleolus.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Alisson Correia (ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7599-5124) for his dedication and commitment to this project, which enabled us to go international with our paper. Thank you, Alisson, for your contributions throughout this process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Morphology, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil

    Diogo Costa Garção

  2. Neurosciences Study Group, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil

    Diogo Costa Garção & Maria Stephany de Souza Paiva

  3. Department of Nursing, Federal University of Sergipe, Aracaju, Brazil

    Maria Stephany de Souza Paiva & Karolaine Santos Corcinio

Authors
  1. Diogo Costa Garção
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  2. Maria Stephany de Souza Paiva
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  3. Karolaine Santos Corcinio
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All authors significantly contributed to performing this study.

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Correspondence to Diogo Costa Garção.

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This study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee, Federal University of Sergipe (no. 79260417.0.0000.5546).

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Garção, D.C., de Souza Paiva, M.S. & Corcinio, K.S. Variations in sural nerve formation and course in fetuses. Neurosurg Rev 46, 189 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-023-02098-x

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