Teledermatology

Sural Nerve

The Sural Nerve is a sensory nerve in the human body that originates from the tibial nerve and the common fibular nerve, branches of the sciatic nerve. It is located in the calf region and provides sensory innervation to the skin of the lateral foot and lateral lower leg.

Anatomy

The sural nerve is formed by the union of two cutaneous branches of the lower leg: the medial sural cutaneous nerve (a branch of the tibial nerve) and the lateral sural cutaneous nerve (a branch of the common fibular nerve). It runs down the middle of the calf, between the two heads of the gastrocnemius muscle, and continues down the back of the leg to the lateral side of the foot.

Function

The primary function of the sural nerve is to carry sensory information from the skin on the lateral side of the foot and the lateral lower leg to the brain. This includes sensations of touch, temperature, and pain.

Clinical Significance

Damage to the sural nerve can result in a condition known as sural neuropathy. This can cause pain, numbness, or tingling in the area of skin supplied by the nerve. The sural nerve is also often used in nerve biopsies because of its accessible location and its sensory-only role, which means that its loss will not affect muscle function.

See Also

• Nervous System
• Peripheral Nervous System
• Sensory Nerves

References

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