# A Bilateral Symmetrical Variant Formation of the Sural Nerve

## TL;DR

This paper reports a rare symmetrical variation in the formation of the sural nerve from the sciatic nerve in a cadaver.

## Contribution

The study presents a rare bilateral anatomical variant of sural nerve formation directly from the sciatic nerve.

## Key findings

- The sural nerve on both sides originated directly from the sciatic nerve in the cadaver.
- This variant is one of the rarest types of sural nerve formation.
- Understanding such variations is important for lower limb surgery and nerve reconstruction.

## Abstract

Typically, the sural nerve is formatted by the connection of the lateral sural cutaneous nerve (branch of the common fibular nerve) and the medial sural cutaneous nerve (branch of the tibial nerve). The current cadaveric report aims to describe a quite unusual symmetrical variant of the sural nerve. Classical dissection was performed on an 84-year-old donated male cadaver. On both sides, the sural nerve was formatted directly by the sciatic nerve. After its emanation, it continued its typical course between the gastrocnemius muscle heads. Sural nerve formation has been extensively studied due to its great clinical significance. The identified variant corresponds to one of the rarest types of sural nerve formation. Knowledge of sural nerve variants may play a crucial role in lower limb surgery and nerve harvest for reconstruction.