BRANCHES OF THE TIBIAL NERVE - ANATOMIC VARIATIONS

Anatomic variations in tibial nerve branches may help explain discrepa ncies between clinical examination and electrophysiologic tests as to the location of neuronal lesions. Dissection of 20 cadaveric feet (10 pair) along the course of the tibial nerve and its branches confirmed that it bifurcates within 2 cm of the medio-malleolar-calcaneal axis i n 90% (18/20) and that it gives off frequent small branches with its a ccompanying vascular structures. Unlike other studies, however, we fou nd that 60% had multiple calcaneal branches off the tibial nerve and t hat 20% evidenced previously undescribed accessory innervation to the abductor hallucis muscle from other than the medial plantar nerve.