Report of a Novel Bilateral Variation of Sciatic and Inferior Gluteal Nerve

Abstract

The sciatic nerve is thickest nerve of sacral plexus which innervates many muscles and vast areas of skin of lower limb. It leaves pelvis via the greater sciatic foramen, emerge into gluteal region by passing under piriformis muscle, and descends beneath the gluteus maximus to divide into its terminal branches; tibial and common peroneal nerve at the superior angle of popliteal fossa. In some cases, sciatic nerve divides into tibial and common peroneal nerve in a higher level and one of them or both pass through or over the piriformis muscle. As in conditions like intramuscular injections, gluteal surgeries and piriformis syndrome such variations may increase risk of injury, it is important for medical team to be aware of them. In this paper, by reporting many variations in a cadaver, we emphasize the importance of anatomical variations especially for surgeons and nurses.