Formation and location of the sural nerve in the newborn.

In this study, the location and formation of the sural nerve were examined in 40 legs of new-born cadavers. The sural nerve was formed by the peroneal communicating branch from the common peroneal nerve joining the medial sural cutaneous nerve in 27 of 40 legs (67.5%). It was formed by the peroneal communicating branch from the lateral sural cutaneous nerve joining the medial sural cutaneous nerve in 4 (10%). It was formed by the peroneal communicating branch from the common peroneal nerve and fibers from the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve joining the medial sural cutaneous nerve in 2 (5%). In 5 of 40 legs (12.5%), the medial sural cutaneous nerve was in the place of the sural nerve without joining any other nerve. In one case (5%), the sural nerve was not formed bilaterally.