Preliminary assessment of anatomical variability of nervus peroneus superficialis in the foetal period.

An assessment of the variability of the course and ramifications of the superficial peroneal nerve within the crus was made on a material of 33 foetuses of both sexes miscarried in the 6th month of foetal life. Particular attention was paid to the relation of the nerve under examination to the anterior intermuscular septum. To facilitate the analysis the material investigated was grouped into several types. The post mortem examination revealed that the nerve referred to followed a typical course within the shank in 54% of cases. At the same time in 15% of cases the examined nerve was split into two terminal branches within the fascial compartment of fibular muscles, leaving the fascia independently. In 19% of cases n. peroneus superficialis passes through the intermuscular septum to the anterior fascial compartment of the shank. Moreover, in 12% of cases the presence was demonstrated of n. peroneus superficialis accessorius passing together with n. peroneus profundus to the extensors chamber and further on into the medial cutaneous nerve of the foot.