STUDY OF A VARIATION OF LUMBOSACRAL PLEXUS: SCIATIC NERVE AND ITS CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Abstract

Background: The pelvis is a home to pelvic parts of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, the sacral and coccygeal plexuses, and the lumbosacral trunk. The lower spine’s sciatic nerve is made up of a combination of motor and sensory fibers from spinal nerves fourth lumbar to third sacral segment (ventral rami). The objective of study was to determine morphological variations in origin and formation of branching pattern of sciatic nerve.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on twenty-four (forty-eight lower limbs) cadavers available in the Department of Anatomy at School of Basic Sciences, Chitwan Medical College. All damaged cadavers were excluded. The cadavers for undergraduate first year medical students dissected as per Cunningham’s Manual. The branching pattern of the sciatic nerve was noted. All Variation of each sacral plexus was photographed. Statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 20. Both gluteal regions were studied for the locations and variation of the sciatic nerve.

Results: Forty-eight lower limbs were examined. Among them forty-two lower limbs (87.5 percent) showed a normal anatomy of the sciatic nerve. Six lower limbs (12.5 percent) showed variations in the sciatic nerve. 

Conclusions: The study concluded that there are variations in origin and formation of branches of sciatic nerve. Variations of sciatic nerve observed could be beneficial for various surgical interventions like nerve release and pain management in compressed nerve.